Role of two firms involved in Shahjahan’s fish export business under ED scanner

Kolkata: Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials are investigating the role of two firms linked to the fish export business of suspended Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan.

As per preliminary findings by the central agency, the fish produced in the fisheries owned by Shahjahan or purchased at low prices under duress from other fishery owners, were exported through these two corporate entities.

Sources said that Shahjahan controlled the running of both these fish and fish products export firms.

One of the firms is registered in the name of his daughter Sheikh Sabina and the other in the name of his brother Sheikh Sirajuddin.

Although the first entity was registered in the name of Sheikh Sabina, its day-to-day affairs were handled by Shahjahan’s other brother Sheikh Alamgir.

While both Shahjahan and Alamgir are currently in judicial custody, Sirajuddin is absconding.

Sources further said that ED officials also have solid evidence to prove that the proceeds of the exports as shown in the account books of these two entities are bogus.

The probe by ED officials suggests that only a small portion of the export proceeds were shown in the account books and a major portion of the money came to Shahjahan and his associates through hawala from Bangladesh.

Sources added that the ED is investigating whether a portion of the proceeds of the PDS case was also invested in the fisheries business as scrutiny of documents seized in the ration distribution case suggests so.

The ED discovered that a portion of the proceeds were first invested in the fish export business and subsequently parked in Dubai and Bangladesh via hawala.