TMC releases Guv’s photo with man held in connection with fake vaccine racket

The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal on Thursday released two pictures including the one showing a security guard arrested in connection with the fake vaccination racket purportedly with governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, his wife and two other women. In the other photo, the guard can be seen with the alleged mastermind of the racket, and his employer, Debanjan Deb.

“In one photo Arabinda Baidya, the security guard, can be seen standing behind Deb while in another photo he can be seen standing behind the governor and his family,” Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, TMC Rajya Sabha member said at a press conference.

Ray said the Special Investigation Team probing the scam should find out what was the security guard of the racket’s mastermind doing at Raj Bhavan. He alleged the TMC has learnt Baidya’s job was to take expensive gifts and envelopes to important people.

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Dhankar, who has been at loggerheads with the state government, did not react to the insinuation till Friday afternoon.

Baidya, a former Border Security Force personnel, was arrested on Thursday. “Baidya not only had knowledge of the illegal activities of Deb, but he also actively participated in some of them,” a police officer said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has alleged Deb was linked with top TMC leaders and has been seen in pictures with them. The TMC rubbished the charges claiming that it was not possible to check the credentials of every person at public programmes.

The Centre this week sought a report from West Bengal about the vaccination racket busted last week. The Calcutta high court has directed the state to file an affidavit in the matter by Friday.