Kolkata, Dec 24 (IANS): The Enforcement Directorate (ED), on Tuesday, arrested three rice mill owners in connection with the ration distribution irregularities case in West Bengal.

All three arrested rice mill owners will be presented at a special court of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Kolkata later in the day, and sources said the central investigating agency will seek their custody for further questioning.

For the sake of security, the ED officials have chosen not to disclose the names of the three mill owners till the time they are presented at the special court and the investigating officials get their custody.

However, sources aware of the development said that all three arrested rice mill owners were close confidants of the former state Food & Supplies Minister Jyotipriya Mallick, who is currently under judicial custody in connection with the ration distribution irregularities case.

Sources added that the investigation officials of ED have secured specific clues that these rice mill owners were responsible for diverting the foodgrains meant for supply to ration shops for selling them in the open market at premium prices.

Sources said the ED officials had secured the names of these three rice mill owners by interrogating Mallick and thereafter conducted raid and search operations at the respective rice mill premises.

From there the investigating officials secured several incriminating documents hinting towards their involvement in the alleged ration distribution scam. Thereafter they were arrested.

Recently at a hearing in the matter at the special court of PMLA, the ED counsel had described Mallick as the epicentre of the entire scam.

The ED counsel also claimed in the court that in the eventuality of bail being granted to Mallick, there were high possibilities of him making attempts to tamper with the evidence or influence the witnesses in the case.