'Won't tolerate malpractice in govt,' says TMC after ED arrests Partha Chatterjee
Jul 23, 2022
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], July 23 : After West Bengal Commerce and Industry Minister Partha Chatterjee was arrested by Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the teacher recruitment scam, Trinamool Congress, the ruling party in the state on Saturday said it will not tolerate any discrepancy or malpractice in the government while adding that the central agency is politically influenced by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Speaking to mediapersons, West Bengal Minister and TMC top leader Firhad Hakim said, "We are watching the situation and have faith in the judiciary. TMC will not tolerate any discrepancy or malpractice in party or in government. TMC will act after the judiciary comes out with its verdict."
"In today's situation, it seems like ED is being run by BJP. If Suvendu Adhikari is saying that a lot of things are going to be found in the future even before ED is giving any statement it means that ED is politically influenced by BJP," added the minister.
ED arrested West Bengal cabinet minister Partha Chatterjee following the raids by the central probe agency which seized Rs 20 crore in cash from the premises of his close associate Arpita Mukherjee, in connection with an alleged teacher recruitment scam in the state.
After his arrest, the Bankshall Court in Kolkata granted two days of ED custody to Chatterjee on Saturday. However, Chatterjee developed heart pain and was later admitted to SSKM hospital.
Notably, ED prayed before the magistrate to allow Chatterjee to be taken to Command Hospital instead of state-run SSKM. ED said that Chatterjee is a senior minister and his roots are deep in government hospitals, where he can be influential. However, the court ordered Chatterjee to be taken to SSKM Hospital.
"Partha Chatterjee (West Bengal cabinet minister and former Education Minister of the state) is not feeling well. He has developed heartache. We demanded that proper medical facilities should be given to him if ED's custody is granted," said Chatterjee's lawyer.
The arrests were made at Chatterjee's residence in Kolkata where the ED team was present since Friday.
Earlier on Friday, ED officials raided the residences of West Bengal ministers Partha Chatterjee and Paresh Adhikari and several others and recovered huge cash amounting to approximately Rs 20 crore from the residential premises of Arpita Mukherjee.
The said amount is suspected to be the proceeds of the crime of said SSC scam. The search team is taking the assistance of bank officials for the counting of cash through cash counting machines.
A total of more than 20 mobile phones have also been recovered from the premises of Arpita Mukherjee, the purpose and use of which are being ascertained, said the probe agency.
Besides cash, a number of other incriminating documents, records, details of dubious companies, electronic devices, foreign currency and gold have also been recovered from the various premises of the persons linked to the scam.
