CBI files charge sheet against former Bengal Minister in recruitment scam

CBI files charge sheet against Trinamool Congress leader Partha Chatterjee in school recruitment scam case, ED framing charges.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday (December 27, 2024) filed a charge sheet against Trinamool Congress leader and former West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee in the school recruitment scam case. The development comes at a time when the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has started the process of framing charges in the recruitment scam.

In the charge sheet filed before Bankshall Court, the CBI has brought charges against two other persons Ayan Shil and Santu Gangopadhyay.

The process of framing charges against a total of 54 persons, including Mr. Chatterjee in the ED case related to irregularities in the primary teacher requirement is also going on at Bichar Bhawan.

The Calcutta High Court had earlier this week rejected the bail petition of Mr. Chatterjee and four officials in the case. Mr. Chatterjee was arrested by the ED in July 2022 after hoards of cash were recovered from the residence of his aide Arpita Mukherjee.

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Last month, a special ED court had granted bail to Ms. Mukherjee, nearly two-and-a-half years after her arrest. Questions have also been raised as to whose money was recovered from the residence of Ms. Mukherjee. The ED has claimed that the money was Mr. Chatterjee’s funds.

During the framing of charges, the ED’s counsel told the court that ₹27.9 crore was recovered from the office of a company owned by the Trinamool Congress leader and his family. The ED, in the charge sheet filed before the court, also alleged that the former Minister used mobile phones with SIM cards bought in the names of others to collect money from the candidates appearing for the school teachers’ recruitment examinations.