Birbhum

West BengalChief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Friday alleged an around Rs 15,000 crore revenue leak in Birbhum district over the past 15 years, and said it would not have been possible without the support of the previous dispensation.

Multiple government departments were either complicit or remained silent under directions from the “highest level”, he alleged during a press conference.

His allegations came against the backdrop of police recovering Rs 28.5 crore in cash and 15 kg of gold from absconding stone trader Tullu Mondal’s residence in West Bengal’s Birbhum as part of a wider crackdown on alleged illegal mining and revenue leakages in the district.

Police suspect a substantial portion of the cash represented revenue allegedly siphoned off. The district has for long been under the scanner over allegations of illegal quarrying and organised crime linked to stone trade.

Targeting his predecessor Mamata Banerjee, Adhikari said, “An organised racket siphoning off revenue for years... cannot function without the concurrence of the head of the institution.”

“Without the support of former chief minister Mamata Banerjee, it is impossible for such a large racket to have operated for so long. Institutional corruption happens only when the head of the institution encourages corruption.”