Kolkata, Feb 2 (IANS): The Enforcement Directorate on Friday approached the Calcutta High Court with a plea seeking hand over of investigation in all cases relating to multi-crore ration distribution irregularities in West Bengal to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

It is learnt that although ED and CBI have started a parallel probe in the ration distribution irregularities matter in the state, six cases in the matter are still under the jurisdiction of the state police.

The ED has argued that despite the state police having filed FIRs in these six cases, there had been virtually no progress in the investigation since then and the state police have not taken any action against a single accused in the cases.

Of these six cases, two FIRs have been registered in Kolkata, while one has been registered in Nadia district.

On Friday, the ED has also informed the Calcutta High Court that although it has written to the state police regarding the progress of investigation in these cases, there was no reply from the latter.

The ED counsel also informed the court that despite repeated pleas for taking some action against the accused in these six cases, there had not been any progress on part of the state police in the matter.

The central agency has also accused the state police of deliberately going slow in the matter because of the involvement of politically influential people behind the ration distribution case including members of the state cabinet and hence, the charges of investigation in the matter should be handed over to CBI.

The ED had already arrested Forest Minister and the former Food & Supplies Minister Jyotipriya Mallick in connection with the ration distribution case. The two other persons arrested by it in this connection are Kolkata businessman Bakibur Rahaman and Trinamool Congress leader Shankar Adhya, both known to be close confidants of Mallick