ED action against Haque part of Operation Lotus 2.0: TMC

Trinamool Congress on Tuesday said the Enforcement Directorate’s search of its Rajya Sabha MP Nadimul Haque’s Delhi residence was part of “Operation Lotus 2.0” to put pressure on party lawmakers who do not cross over.

TMC sources claimed a former leader of the party had been in touch with Haque as part of an attempt to pressure him, but the MP refused to “strike a deal”.

The ED on Monday searched seven premises linked to Haque and his Urdu newspaper Akhbar-E-Mashriq in Kolkata, Delhi and Ranchi as part of a money-laundering probe. Officials had said the probe relates to allegations concerning the publication and dissemination of material promoting communal disharmony.