Kolkata, Nov 8 (IANS): Income Tax department sleuths escorted by the armed personnel of central armed police forces were conducting marathon raids and search operations at the residence, office, liquor shop and rice mill owned by turncoat Trinamool Congress legislator from Bishnupur Assembly constituency in West Bengal's Bankura district on Wednesday.

It is learnt that five teams of the Income Tax Department, all escorted by central armed forces personnel, reached these places at around 10 a.m. Till the time the report was filed, the raid and search operations were on.

Ghosh left the Trinamool Congress before the 2021West Bengal Assembly elections, joined the BJP and successfully contested the polls that year from Bishnupur constituency. However, his stay in BJP was of an extremely short period and on August 30, 2021 he rejoined Trinamool Congress.

However, as per official records of the West Bengal Assembly, Ghosh continues to be a BJP legislator. The raids took place on Wednesday when the legislator was in Kolkata. Till the time the report was filed there was neither any reaction from Ghosh or from any other Trinamool Congress leader in the matter.

On Tuesday only the Income Tax departmenthad issued notices of summons to the West Bengal Minister of State, in-charge of the Correctional Services Department, Akhil Giri and his son Suprakash Giri. In the notice sent through email both the minister and his son have been asked to be present at the Income-Tax Departments’ office in Kolkata on November 13.