Supreme Court Seeks ED's Response on Bail Plea of Former Bengal Minister Partha Chatterjee

The Supreme Court has requested the Enforcement Directorate to respond to the bail plea of ex-Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee. Arrested in July 2022 over a teacher recruitment scam, Chatterjee faces charges under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought a response from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) regarding the bail plea of former West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee. Chatterjee, who is also an MLA, is embroiled in a case involving cash-for-jobs recruitment irregularities. A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan has asked the ED to file a reply.

Chatterjee was arrested in July 2022 by the ED in connection with the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) teacher recruitment scam. The former minister, a member of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), was previously held at the Presidency Correctional Home in May this year.

The ED had earlier seized over Rs 21 crore in cash from the residence of an associate linked to Chatterjee. Following his arrest, the TMC suspended him and stripped him of all party posts. The Calcutta High Court also directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate the recruitment scam affecting Group 'C' and 'D' staff, assistant teachers of classes IX-XII, and primary teachers. The ED is probing the case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA).

(With inputs from agencies.)