Shahjahan Sheikh is considered to be a close aide of state minister Jyotipriyo Mallick.
A lookout notice has been issued by the Enforcement Directorate against Trinamool Congress leader Shahjahan Sheikh who has been missing since yesterday when a team of the central agency was assaulted by a mob during a raid at his residence in West Bengal.
Mr Sheikh was present at his home during the raid but he has been missing along with his family since the attack on the probe agency officials, sources said.
The Trinamool leader allegedly tried to flee to Bangladesh but couldn't as there was a strict vigil on the border by the Border Security Force and Bangladesh Rifles, they added. Bangladesh will go to the polls on Sunday.
Central investigative agency believes that Mr Sheikh and his family are hiding somewhere in the state.
The central agency's team went to the residence of the Trinamool leader in connection with its probe into a ration distribution scam. Mr Sheikh is considered to be a close aide of state minister Jyotipriyo Mallick, who was arrested last year in connection with the multi-crore ration distribution scam.
The Enforcement Directorate or ED said three of its officers suffered "grievous" injuries in the mob attack on its search team in Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district and that their personal belongings such as mobile phones and wallets were also snatched.
They also alleged when they arrived at the leader's house, the door was found to be locked from inside. "His mobile location at that time indicated that he was inside this house," they said.
"Thereafter, the ED team was taken by surprise that within half-an-hour, a mob of around 800-1,000 persons started marching towards them with weapons in their hands such as lathis, stones, bricks, etc. and gheraoed the ED officials and CRPF personnel," the Enforcement Directorate said in a statement.
The attack sparked a political firestorm. While Governor CV Ananda Bose said the state is not a "banana republic", the BJP termed the attack "a direct assault on the federal structure". The Congress, an INDIA bloc ally of the Trinamool, demanded the imposition of President's Rule in the eastern state.
The Trinamool Congress, meanwhile, has accused the ED officials of inciting locals. "The central agency went for a raid without informing the police or the state government. Is this an example of following the norms of federal structure," Trinamool Congress minister Shashi Panja said.