News Analysis India

Tag: school jobs scam

  • ‘Very happy’ Mamata Banerjee welcomes Supreme Court order staying Calcutta High Court verdict on school jobs scam

    West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday welcomed the Supreme Court order that stayed the Calcutta High Court verdict of cancelling more than 25,000 school jobs, and said she is “very happy and mentally relaxed” after getting justice in the apex court. The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed the Calcutta High Court order invalidating the appointment of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff made by the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) in state-run and state-aided schools. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, however, permitted the CBI to continue with its investigation and probe even members of the state cabinet. The top court, however, asked the CBI not to take any precipitate action like arresting a suspect during the investigation. “I am really very happy and mentally relaxed on receipt of justice at the highest Court of the land. Congratulations to the entire teaching fraternity and my humble regards to the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India,” Banerjee said in a post on X. AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther StatesSpeaking in a similar vein, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said truth has triumphed. “The Honorable Supreme Court has DEFUSED the BJP’s ‘EXPLOSIVE’ hurled last week to malign Bengal’s image and destabilise WB government. TRUTH HAS TRIUMPHED! We will continue to defy all odds and stand shoulder to shoulder with the people until our last breath,” he wrote on X. Earlier in the day, it termed the alleged scam as a “systemic fraud” and said the state authorities were duty-bound to maintain digitised records pertaining to the appointment of teachers and non-teaching staff. The top court was hearing a batch of petitions challenging the Calcutta High Court’s April 22 decision that invalidated the appointment of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff.

    The BJP, however, claimed that corruption in school recruitment in West Bengal has been proven in the court.

    “The TMC is neck-deep in corruption in this scam. They cannot evade their responsibilities,” BJP state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said.

    The TMC-led West Bengal government had challenged the Calcutta High Court order, saying it cancelled the appointments “arbitrarily”.

  • CBI questions TMC leader Abhishek for over nine hours in ‘school jobs scam’ case

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: CBI officers questioned TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee, who appeared before them Saturday as part of the agency’s probe into the school jobs scam, for more than 9 hours before letting the young politician out.

    Banerjee told newspersons keeping vigil outside the Nizam Palace office of the CBI, that the questioning was a waste of time for both him and the CBI officers, but that he “cooperated in all that was asked.”

    “I was questioned for 9 and-a-half hours by CBI. Questioning was a waste of time for them (CBI officers) as well as for me,” said Banerjee after emerging from Nizam Palace.

    He claimed the real reason why he was called in was because, he had refused to be a “pet dog of Delhi’s bosses” and that is why he has been “targeted.”

    He also alleged that while TMC leaders who were unwilling to bend were being harassed, BJP leaders who had been involved in various cases were allowed to go scot-free.

    Banerjee’s name cropped up in a complaint filed by Kuntal Ghosh where he alleged that central investigating agencies were pressuring him to name Abhishek Banerjee in the school scam case.

    KOLKATA: CBI officers questioned TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee, who appeared before them Saturday as part of the agency’s probe into the school jobs scam, for more than 9 hours before letting the young politician out.

    Banerjee told newspersons keeping vigil outside the Nizam Palace office of the CBI, that the questioning was a waste of time for both him and the CBI officers, but that he “cooperated in all that was asked.”

    “I was questioned for 9 and-a-half hours by CBI. Questioning was a waste of time for them (CBI officers) as well as for me,” said Banerjee after emerging from Nizam Palace.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    He claimed the real reason why he was called in was because, he had refused to be a “pet dog of Delhi’s bosses” and that is why he has been “targeted.”

    He also alleged that while TMC leaders who were unwilling to bend were being harassed, BJP leaders who had been involved in various cases were allowed to go scot-free.

    Banerjee’s name cropped up in a complaint filed by Kuntal Ghosh where he alleged that central investigating agencies were pressuring him to name Abhishek Banerjee in the school scam case.

  • School jobs scam: TMC leader Abhishek to appear before CBI, dares agency to arrest him

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee, who has been called by the CBI to appear at its Kolkata office on Saturday as part of its probe into the school jobs scam, dared the central agency to arrest him if it has any proof of corruption or misconduct against him.

    His party chief and aunt, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday also took up the gauntlet on his behalf, claiming the BJP was gunning for her party colleagues and members of her family, using the investigative agencies, and wowed to oust the saffron party from the centre.

    Earlier, CBI officials Friday said Banerjee had been sent a missive asking him to join the probe at its offices at Nizam Palace here.

    “I dare the CBI to arrest me if they have any proof of corruption against me. They have been probing many cases in Bengal for the last several years. They should arrest me if they have any proof against me,” Abhishek said on Friday at a rally in Bankura, adding that he would return to the city this evening.

    On Thursday, Calcutta High Court had dismissed a petition filed by Banerjee seeking recall of a previous order of the court which said that investigative agencies such as CBI and ED could interrogate him in the teacher recruitment scam. CBI sent its letter asking Abhishek Banerjee to appear within 24 hours.

    The TMC leader’s name cropped up in a complaint filed by Kuntal Ghosh, an accused in the scam. Ghosh alleged that he was being pressured by central investigating agencies to name Abhishek Banerjee in the school scam case.

    “You are hereby directed to appear before me on Saturday, at 11 am …” the letter sent by a deputy superintendent of the CBI to Banerjee’s Harish Mukherjee road address said.

    In a tweet, Banerjee said, “unfazed by these events, I shall strive to serve the people…bring it on.”

    Abhishek at his rally soon after the letter was delivered, accused the BJP of “using” the central agency to stop his ongoing mass outreach campaign as the saffron party was “afraid of the public support” for the programme.

    “I will not bow my head before anyone apart from the masses. The BJP is afraid of the public support for the mass outreach campaign. CBI has summoned me, as they (BJP) want this mass outreach campaign to stop,” he said while addressing a roadshow here.

    TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee also lashed out at the right-wing party, stating, “BJP is after everyone in our party and my family, but we are not afraid of them. CBI should have given some time to Abhishek to appear before it as it had known that he has been on the streets since April 25 to lead the mass outreach campaign.”

    “Till BJP is ousted from the Centre, our fight against its tyranny will continue,” Banerjee thundered.

    The fiery leader had to step in at the last moment to address a late evening rally virtually from Kolkata, as Abhishek Banerjee, left for Kolkata to be able to appear before CBI on Saturday morning.

    A division bench of the Calcutta High Court on Friday did not allow an urgent hearing of an appeal by the Trinamool Congress national general secretary challenging the single bench order which said that there was no restraining order on CBI to act upon a notice to him.

    An attempt to get the chief justice to hear it also did not succeed. The matter may now be taken up before a vacation bench of the High Court which will sit from Monday onwards.

    Reacting to the TMC leaders’ remarks, the BJP dubbed the allegations as baseless. “The BJP has nothing to do with the CBI probe. If he has nothing to hide, why is he making such allegations,” BJP state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said.

    Standing atop a vehicle, the TMC’s national general secretary thanked people for their “overwhelming love and support” before leaving for Kolkata.

    “I dare the CBI to arrest me if they have any proof of corruption against me. They have been probing many cases in Bengal for the last several years. They should arrest me if they have any proof against me,” he said, adding that he would return to the city this evening.

    Banerjee said he has temporarily suspended his mass outreach campaign – Trinamool Nabojowar (Trinamool New Wave), to join the probe and will resume it again from Bankura on Monday.

    “Despite not being given even a day’s prior notice, I will still abide by it (CBI’s missive asking him to appear) as I have done no wrong,” he said.

    TMC leader criticized the CBI for not summoning BJP leaders accused of corruption.

    “A person was caught on camera taking bribes, but the CBI never summons him as he has joined the BJP. You can loot, take bribes and commit crimes; you won’t be touched once you join the BJP, as it is now a safe haven for thieves,” he said while referring to the Narada scam, which the CBI is also probing.

    KOLKATA: TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee, who has been called by the CBI to appear at its Kolkata office on Saturday as part of its probe into the school jobs scam, dared the central agency to arrest him if it has any proof of corruption or misconduct against him.

    His party chief and aunt, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday also took up the gauntlet on his behalf, claiming the BJP was gunning for her party colleagues and members of her family, using the investigative agencies, and wowed to oust the saffron party from the centre.

    Earlier, CBI officials Friday said Banerjee had been sent a missive asking him to join the probe at its offices at Nizam Palace here.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2′); });

    “I dare the CBI to arrest me if they have any proof of corruption against me. They have been probing many cases in Bengal for the last several years. They should arrest me if they have any proof against me,” Abhishek said on Friday at a rally in Bankura, adding that he would return to the city this evening.

    On Thursday, Calcutta High Court had dismissed a petition filed by Banerjee seeking recall of a previous order of the court which said that investigative agencies such as CBI and ED could interrogate him in the teacher recruitment scam. CBI sent its letter asking Abhishek Banerjee to appear within 24 hours.

    The TMC leader’s name cropped up in a complaint filed by Kuntal Ghosh, an accused in the scam. Ghosh alleged that he was being pressured by central investigating agencies to name Abhishek Banerjee in the school scam case.

    “You are hereby directed to appear before me on Saturday, at 11 am …” the letter sent by a deputy superintendent of the CBI to Banerjee’s Harish Mukherjee road address said.

    In a tweet, Banerjee said, “unfazed by these events, I shall strive to serve the people…bring it on.”

    Abhishek at his rally soon after the letter was delivered, accused the BJP of “using” the central agency to stop his ongoing mass outreach campaign as the saffron party was “afraid of the public support” for the programme.

    “I will not bow my head before anyone apart from the masses. The BJP is afraid of the public support for the mass outreach campaign. CBI has summoned me, as they (BJP) want this mass outreach campaign to stop,” he said while addressing a roadshow here.

    TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee also lashed out at the right-wing party, stating, “BJP is after everyone in our party and my family, but we are not afraid of them. CBI should have given some time to Abhishek to appear before it as it had known that he has been on the streets since April 25 to lead the mass outreach campaign.”

    “Till BJP is ousted from the Centre, our fight against its tyranny will continue,” Banerjee thundered.

    The fiery leader had to step in at the last moment to address a late evening rally virtually from Kolkata, as Abhishek Banerjee, left for Kolkata to be able to appear before CBI on Saturday morning.

    A division bench of the Calcutta High Court on Friday did not allow an urgent hearing of an appeal by the Trinamool Congress national general secretary challenging the single bench order which said that there was no restraining order on CBI to act upon a notice to him.

    An attempt to get the chief justice to hear it also did not succeed. The matter may now be taken up before a vacation bench of the High Court which will sit from Monday onwards.

    Reacting to the TMC leaders’ remarks, the BJP dubbed the allegations as baseless. “The BJP has nothing to do with the CBI probe. If he has nothing to hide, why is he making such allegations,” BJP state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said.

    Standing atop a vehicle, the TMC’s national general secretary thanked people for their “overwhelming love and support” before leaving for Kolkata.

    “I dare the CBI to arrest me if they have any proof of corruption against me. They have been probing many cases in Bengal for the last several years. They should arrest me if they have any proof against me,” he said, adding that he would return to the city this evening.

    Banerjee said he has temporarily suspended his mass outreach campaign – Trinamool Nabojowar (Trinamool New Wave), to join the probe and will resume it again from Bankura on Monday.

    “Despite not being given even a day’s prior notice, I will still abide by it (CBI’s missive asking him to appear) as I have done no wrong,” he said.

    TMC leader criticized the CBI for not summoning BJP leaders accused of corruption.

    “A person was caught on camera taking bribes, but the CBI never summons him as he has joined the BJP. You can loot, take bribes and commit crimes; you won’t be touched once you join the BJP, as it is now a safe haven for thieves,” he said while referring to the Narada scam, which the CBI is also probing.

  • None can do any harm to TMC, says jailed ex-minister Partha Chatterjee

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: Suspended TMC leader Partha Chatterjee, who is in jail for his alleged involvement in a school recruitment scam, claimed on Monday that none can do any harm to the Mamata Banerjee-led party, indicating that he was still trying to curry favour with its leadership.

    The former Bengal minister, who was arrested on July 23 following recovery of cash, jewellery and property deeds from his alleged close associate, prayed for his bail before a special CBI court, which has reserved its order.

    The CBI is probing the recruitment scam on directions of the Calcutta High Court, and the Enforcement Directorate is looking into the money trail associated with the case.

    As Chatterjee got off a vehicle for his court hearing, he was asked by reporters to comment on Leader of Opposition in Bengal Suvendu Adhikari’s assertion that the days of the TMC are numbered and “major developments involving its leaders are on the cards in December”.

    The suspended leader was quick to reply that “none can do any harm to the TMC; none can damage TMC’s prospects”.

    The ruling party in Bengal had removed Chatterjee from the state cabinet and all party posts, besides suspending him, shortly after he was arrested in July.

    Distancing the party from Chatterjee, TMC state spokesperson Kunal Ghosh, when asked about his comment, said the TMC does not need Chatterjee’s certificate and has no relation with him.

    Ghosh, however, asserted there is no threat to the TMC, and BJP leaders are making absurd claims.

    Besides Adhikari, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar claimed on occasions that “the downfall of Mamata Banerjee government will begin from this month (December).”

    The TMC spokesperson, talking to reporters, said, “Leaders like Suvendu Adhikari and Sukanta Majumdar have no relevance, and they are making such claims just to remain in them news.

    People of Bengal are with the TMC and everyone knows that,” he said.

    BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya claimed that Chatterjee, former School Service Commission adviser SP Sinha and others arrested in connection with the case had just “followed instructions of the top leadership”.

    “Partha had always adhered to the programmes of the party.

    Hence it is not surprising that he is still speaking in the same voice as TMC,” Bhattacharya told PTI.

    Chatterjee held the education portfolio between 2014 and 2021 when the irregularities in recruitment of teaching and non-teaching staff in state government-sponsored and -aided schools had allegedly taken place.

    He held several portfolios, including Industry and Commerce, during the time of his arrest.

    KOLKATA: Suspended TMC leader Partha Chatterjee, who is in jail for his alleged involvement in a school recruitment scam, claimed on Monday that none can do any harm to the Mamata Banerjee-led party, indicating that he was still trying to curry favour with its leadership.

    The former Bengal minister, who was arrested on July 23 following recovery of cash, jewellery and property deeds from his alleged close associate, prayed for his bail before a special CBI court, which has reserved its order.

    The CBI is probing the recruitment scam on directions of the Calcutta High Court, and the Enforcement Directorate is looking into the money trail associated with the case.

    As Chatterjee got off a vehicle for his court hearing, he was asked by reporters to comment on Leader of Opposition in Bengal Suvendu Adhikari’s assertion that the days of the TMC are numbered and “major developments involving its leaders are on the cards in December”.

    The suspended leader was quick to reply that “none can do any harm to the TMC; none can damage TMC’s prospects”.

    The ruling party in Bengal had removed Chatterjee from the state cabinet and all party posts, besides suspending him, shortly after he was arrested in July.

    Distancing the party from Chatterjee, TMC state spokesperson Kunal Ghosh, when asked about his comment, said the TMC does not need Chatterjee’s certificate and has no relation with him.

    Ghosh, however, asserted there is no threat to the TMC, and BJP leaders are making absurd claims.

    Besides Adhikari, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar claimed on occasions that “the downfall of Mamata Banerjee government will begin from this month (December).”

    The TMC spokesperson, talking to reporters, said, “Leaders like Suvendu Adhikari and Sukanta Majumdar have no relevance, and they are making such claims just to remain in them news.

    People of Bengal are with the TMC and everyone knows that,” he said.

    BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya claimed that Chatterjee, former School Service Commission adviser SP Sinha and others arrested in connection with the case had just “followed instructions of the top leadership”.

    “Partha had always adhered to the programmes of the party.

    Hence it is not surprising that he is still speaking in the same voice as TMC,” Bhattacharya told PTI.

    Chatterjee held the education portfolio between 2014 and 2021 when the irregularities in recruitment of teaching and non-teaching staff in state government-sponsored and -aided schools had allegedly taken place.

    He held several portfolios, including Industry and Commerce, during the time of his arrest.

  • ‘In 3 years, shell firms linked to ex WB minister Partha, his kin, Arpita had deals worth Rs 500 crore’

    Express News Service

    KOLKATA: The sleuths of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) probing the alleged recruitment scam in West Bengal schools on Sunday said they have detected transactions of over Rs 500 crore done during 2016-2019 in several bank accounts linked to arrested former minister Partha Chatterjee and his aide, Arpita Mukherjee.

    Sources said the ED found suspicious transactions of Rs 1.5 crore carried out days before Chatterjee and Arpita were arrested last month.

    According to sources, the investigators also came across the names of Chatterjee’s wife Babli and daughter Sohini and son-in-law Kalyanmoy Bhattacharya in suspicious business deals.

    Accounts of suspected shell companies were used for the transactions of huge amounts, officials said.

    “The transactions were made in the accounts of shell companies, such as Apa Utility Services, Ananta Texfab Pvt Ltd, four real estate firms and two trustees. Ananta Texfab is registered in the address of one of Arpita’s flats, which is Flat No. 8A, Block-5, Club Town Heights, Belgharia, from where Rs 27.9 crore cash was seized recently. But the firm has no office set-up and employees,’’ said an ED official.

    The agency came across another company named Viewmore Highrise Pvt Ltd, which is also registered in the same address in Belgharia. Sources said during the lockdown, transactions were made using five bank accounts.

    “Every day, the transaction volume was Rs 20-30 lakh. In the balance sheet, transactions were shown as part of business deals which seem suspicious,’’ said another official.    

    Ananta Texfab filed its financial statements till March 31, 2021. The ED has asked Sohini and Kalyanmoy, who are in the United States, to come to Kolkata for the probe.

    “The two were once major stakeholders of the company and later exited by selling their shares to Arpita,’’ said an officer.

    The name of Babli, who died recently, has also emerged. “The statutory filing with the corporate affairs ministry shows that in March 2014, Babli held a 15 per cent share in Ananta Texfab while Sohini and Kalyanmoy held 75 per cent and 10 per cent shares, respectively. In March 2017, Babli sold her shares to Echhay Entertainment, which has Arpita as a director. On the same day, Sohini and Kalyanmoy sold their shares directly to Arpita,’’ said an official. 

    KOLKATA: The sleuths of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) probing the alleged recruitment scam in West Bengal schools on Sunday said they have detected transactions of over Rs 500 crore done during 2016-2019 in several bank accounts linked to arrested former minister Partha Chatterjee and his aide, Arpita Mukherjee.

    Sources said the ED found suspicious transactions of Rs 1.5 crore carried out days before Chatterjee and Arpita were arrested last month.

    According to sources, the investigators also came across the names of Chatterjee’s wife Babli and daughter Sohini and son-in-law Kalyanmoy Bhattacharya in suspicious business deals.

    Accounts of suspected shell companies were used for the transactions of huge amounts, officials said.

    “The transactions were made in the accounts of shell companies, such as Apa Utility Services, Ananta Texfab Pvt Ltd, four real estate firms and two trustees. Ananta Texfab is registered in the address of one of Arpita’s flats, which is Flat No. 8A, Block-5, Club Town Heights, Belgharia, from where Rs 27.9 crore cash was seized recently. But the firm has no office set-up and employees,’’ said an ED official.

    The agency came across another company named Viewmore Highrise Pvt Ltd, which is also registered in the same address in Belgharia. Sources said during the lockdown, transactions were made using five bank accounts.

    “Every day, the transaction volume was Rs 20-30 lakh. In the balance sheet, transactions were shown as part of business deals which seem suspicious,’’ said another official.    

    Ananta Texfab filed its financial statements till March 31, 2021. The ED has asked Sohini and Kalyanmoy, who are in the United States, to come to Kolkata for the probe.

    “The two were once major stakeholders of the company and later exited by selling their shares to Arpita,’’ said an officer.

    The name of Babli, who died recently, has also emerged. “The statutory filing with the corporate affairs ministry shows that in March 2014, Babli held a 15 per cent share in Ananta Texfab while Sohini and Kalyanmoy held 75 per cent and 10 per cent shares, respectively. In March 2017, Babli sold her shares to Echhay Entertainment, which has Arpita as a director. On the same day, Sohini and Kalyanmoy sold their shares directly to Arpita,’’ said an official. 

  • EB school jobs scam: Partha, Arpita sent to judicial custody till August 18

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: Former education minister of West Bengal Partha Chatterjee and his aide Arpita Mukherjee were sent to 14 days in judicial custody by a special court in Kolkata on Friday in the SSC scam case.

    Special PMLA court judge Jibon Kumar Sadhu granted 14 days’ judicial remand of Chatterjee and Mukherjee on a prayer by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

    The court rejected a bail prayer of the former minister and directed that Chatterjee and Mukherjee be produced again on August 18 when the matter will be heard again.

    Chatterjee and Mukherjee have been in ED’s remand since their arrest on July 23 in connection with its probe into the money trail in illegal recruitments done by the School Service Commission (SSC) for West Bengal government-sponsored and aided schools.

    The ED has claimed that it recovered Rs 49.80 crore in cash, jewellery and gold bars from apartments owned by Mukherjee, besides documents of properties and a company in joint holding.

    The duo is facing charges under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

    ALSO READ | ‘Partha Chatterjee used to take Arpita Mukherjee for joyrides in high-end cars, have parties’: Investigators

    KOLKATA: Former education minister of West Bengal Partha Chatterjee and his aide Arpita Mukherjee were sent to 14 days in judicial custody by a special court in Kolkata on Friday in the SSC scam case.

    Special PMLA court judge Jibon Kumar Sadhu granted 14 days’ judicial remand of Chatterjee and Mukherjee on a prayer by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

    The court rejected a bail prayer of the former minister and directed that Chatterjee and Mukherjee be produced again on August 18 when the matter will be heard again.

    Chatterjee and Mukherjee have been in ED’s remand since their arrest on July 23 in connection with its probe into the money trail in illegal recruitments done by the School Service Commission (SSC) for West Bengal government-sponsored and aided schools.

    The ED has claimed that it recovered Rs 49.80 crore in cash, jewellery and gold bars from apartments owned by Mukherjee, besides documents of properties and a company in joint holding.

    The duo is facing charges under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

    ALSO READ | ‘Partha Chatterjee used to take Arpita Mukherjee for joyrides in high-end cars, have parties’: Investigators

  • School jobs scam: ED gets 10 days’ custody of arrested Bengal minister, associate

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: A Kolkata court on Monday granted 10 days’ Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody of West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee and his alleged associate Arpita Mukherjee, who were arrested in connection with its probe into the school jobs scam.

    The ED had prayed for 14 days’ custody of Chatterjee, stating that AIIMS, Bhubaneswar has said in a report after medical examination of the minister on a Calcutta High Court order that no active intervention is required over his health.

    Rejecting a bail prayer of the minister, special ED Court judge Jibon Kumar Sadhu at Bankshall court here granted ED custody of the minister and also of Mukherjee till August 3.

    The court directed in its order which came around 11 pm that the two accused persons, who were arrested on July 22, be produced before it again on August 3.

    The ED prayed for 14 days’ custody of Chatterjee claiming that he has been in state-run SSKM Hospital allegedly faking illness and thus the agency could not question him during the two-day remand granted by the CMM in-charge court on Saturday. The agency also prayed for Mukherjee’s custody for 13 days.

    Calcutta High court on Sunday directed that Chatterjee be taken to AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, for a medical check-up by specialists of various departments on Monday morning. The judge directed that medical examination be conducted of both the accused every 48 hours of their detention in ED custody.

    The court directed the investigating officer not to inflict torture upon the accused persons. The investigating officer was directed not to subject Mukherjee to custodial interrogation between 9 pm and 6 pm.

    KOLKATA: A Kolkata court on Monday granted 10 days’ Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody of West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee and his alleged associate Arpita Mukherjee, who were arrested in connection with its probe into the school jobs scam.

    The ED had prayed for 14 days’ custody of Chatterjee, stating that AIIMS, Bhubaneswar has said in a report after medical examination of the minister on a Calcutta High Court order that no active intervention is required over his health.

    Rejecting a bail prayer of the minister, special ED Court judge Jibon Kumar Sadhu at Bankshall court here granted ED custody of the minister and also of Mukherjee till August 3.

    The court directed in its order which came around 11 pm that the two accused persons, who were arrested on July 22, be produced before it again on August 3.

    The ED prayed for 14 days’ custody of Chatterjee claiming that he has been in state-run SSKM Hospital allegedly faking illness and thus the agency could not question him during the two-day remand granted by the CMM in-charge court on Saturday. The agency also prayed for Mukherjee’s custody for 13 days.

    Calcutta High court on Sunday directed that Chatterjee be taken to AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, for a medical check-up by specialists of various departments on Monday morning. The judge directed that medical examination be conducted of both the accused every 48 hours of their detention in ED custody.

    The court directed the investigating officer not to inflict torture upon the accused persons. The investigating officer was directed not to subject Mukherjee to custodial interrogation between 9 pm and 6 pm.

  • West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee: Scams come-a-calling

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: The over-five-decade-long political career of senior TMC leader Partha Chatterjee seems to have received a huge jolt with the Enforcement Directorate arresting him on Saturday in connection with its investigation into the alleged school jobs scam in West Bengal.

    Chatterjee, 69, who presently holds the industry and state parliamentary affairs portfolios of the Mamata Banerjee government, was the education minister from 2014 to 2021, during which the alleged irregularities in teacher recruitment occurred.

    He stepped into politics as a leader of Congress students’ wing – Chatra Parishad – in the late sixties during his college years, inspired by then firebrand youth leaders Subrata Mukherjee and Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi.

    His political career halted after he took up a high-profile corporate job in the mid-seventies but he kept in touch with then Congress leaders.

    Chatterjee decided to take a plunge into active politics after Banerjee broke away from the Congress and formed the TMC on January 1, 1998.

    He went on to win from the Behala Paschim Assembly constituency for five consecutive terms since 2001 on a TMC ticket.

    Chatterjee’s high point in his political career came in 2006 when he was appointed as the leader of the TMC party in the assembly and later leader of the opposition.

    As Banerjee fought against the mighty Left Front regime on the streets of Bengal on the issue of forcible land acquisition in Singur and Nandigram, Chatterjee became the voice of the opposition in the assembly.

    Chatterjee was at the forefront when his party took on then chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya in the assembly on the issues of land acquisitions.

    During that period in 2007, he was appointed as TMC’s secretary-general by Banerjee.

    READ HERE | Teacher recruitment scam: Arrested Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee hospitalised

    After the party came to power four years later, he was given charge of industry and parliamentary affairs.

    However, in a cabinet reshuffle in 2014, he was removed from the industry department and entrusted with the responsibility of education.

    Considered a loyalist of the party supremo, Chatterjee, along with a few others, was at the forefront in leading the old guards during the alleged inner-party struggle between the young brigade and the veterans that broke out in the TMC in January-February this year.

    After the party returned to power for the third consecutive time in 2021, he was given the charge of industry and parliamentary affairs departments.

    He is known as an affable and approachable leader in political circles.

    His name had also cropped up in a Ponzi scheme, which was being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

    He has, however, denied the allegations as politically motivated.

    The Trinamool Congress secretary general was arrested by the ED after around 26 hours of grilling in his residence since Friday morning in connection with its probe into the alleged school jobs scam.

    He was later produced before a judge in the Bankshall court here and sent to the ED custody for two days.

    KOLKATA: The over-five-decade-long political career of senior TMC leader Partha Chatterjee seems to have received a huge jolt with the Enforcement Directorate arresting him on Saturday in connection with its investigation into the alleged school jobs scam in West Bengal.

    Chatterjee, 69, who presently holds the industry and state parliamentary affairs portfolios of the Mamata Banerjee government, was the education minister from 2014 to 2021, during which the alleged irregularities in teacher recruitment occurred.

    He stepped into politics as a leader of Congress students’ wing – Chatra Parishad – in the late sixties during his college years, inspired by then firebrand youth leaders Subrata Mukherjee and Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi.

    His political career halted after he took up a high-profile corporate job in the mid-seventies but he kept in touch with then Congress leaders.

    Chatterjee decided to take a plunge into active politics after Banerjee broke away from the Congress and formed the TMC on January 1, 1998.

    He went on to win from the Behala Paschim Assembly constituency for five consecutive terms since 2001 on a TMC ticket.

    Chatterjee’s high point in his political career came in 2006 when he was appointed as the leader of the TMC party in the assembly and later leader of the opposition.

    As Banerjee fought against the mighty Left Front regime on the streets of Bengal on the issue of forcible land acquisition in Singur and Nandigram, Chatterjee became the voice of the opposition in the assembly.

    Chatterjee was at the forefront when his party took on then chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya in the assembly on the issues of land acquisitions.

    During that period in 2007, he was appointed as TMC’s secretary-general by Banerjee.

    READ HERE | Teacher recruitment scam: Arrested Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee hospitalised

    After the party came to power four years later, he was given charge of industry and parliamentary affairs.

    However, in a cabinet reshuffle in 2014, he was removed from the industry department and entrusted with the responsibility of education.

    Considered a loyalist of the party supremo, Chatterjee, along with a few others, was at the forefront in leading the old guards during the alleged inner-party struggle between the young brigade and the veterans that broke out in the TMC in January-February this year.

    After the party returned to power for the third consecutive time in 2021, he was given the charge of industry and parliamentary affairs departments.

    He is known as an affable and approachable leader in political circles.

    His name had also cropped up in a Ponzi scheme, which was being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

    He has, however, denied the allegations as politically motivated.

    The Trinamool Congress secretary general was arrested by the ED after around 26 hours of grilling in his residence since Friday morning in connection with its probe into the alleged school jobs scam.

    He was later produced before a judge in the Bankshall court here and sent to the ED custody for two days.