Arrested Bengal Minister Removed From Post

Jyotipriya Mallick was behind bars for his alleged involvement in a multi-crore ration scam. (File)

Kolkata:

The West Bengal government on Friday removed Jyotipriya Mallick, behind bars for his alleged involvement in a multi-crore ration distribution scam, as the forest minister and allocated the department to Birbaha Hansda.

Birbaha Hansda is the Minister of State for Forests and Self Help – Self Employment Group (Independent Charge).

The other portfolio of Public Enterprises and Industrial Reconstruction under Mallick was allocated to Partha Bhowmick, a senior official said.

Partha Bhowmick is the Minister-in-charge of the Irrigation and Waterways Department.

The decision was taken as per the advice of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the official said.

Governor C V Ananda Bose exercised his powers under Article 166(3) of the Constitution and relieved Mallick of his duties as minister with immediate effect, a source in the Raj Bhavan said.

In October last year, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had arrested Jyotipriya Mallick under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in connection with the scam.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)