Bengal Recruitment Scam: ED Raids Former Minister Partha Chatterjee Before Elections

In a significant development ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in West Bengal, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted a raid at the residence of former Education Minister Partha Chatterjee on Saturday. The central agency's team arrived at Chatterjee's Naktala residence in South Kolkata to carry out searches related to the ongoing investigation into the multi-crore school teacher recruitment scam. This move marks a renewed push by the agency to uncover further details in the long-standing case.

Intensive Search at Naktala Residence

According to officials, a team of ED investigators, accompanied by a large contingent of central paramilitary forces, reached Chatterjee's house early Saturday morning. The security personnel cordoned off the area to ensure the search operation proceeded without interference. The agency is reportedly looking for specific documents and digital evidence that could provide deeper insights into the financial irregularities associated with the recruitment process during Chatterjee's tenure as the education minister.

Non-Compliance with Previous Summons

The raid follows reports that Partha Chatterjee had repeatedly failed to appear before the ED despite multiple summons. Sources within the agency stated that Chatterjee had cited health issues and various illnesses as reasons for his inability to join the investigation, while given the lack of cooperation and the gravity of the allegations, the ED decided to conduct a direct search at his premises to facilitate the ongoing probe and gather necessary information regarding the scam's beneficiaries.

Simultaneous Raids on Associate Prasanna Roy

Parallel to the operation at Chatterjee's house, another ED team targeted the office of Prasanna Roy in New Town. Roy is considered a key accused in the teacher recruitment case and is suspected of playing a middleman's role in the illegal appointments, while the agency is scrutinizing the network of individuals involved in the scam to identify how the funds were channeled and who the ultimate recipients of the proceeds of crime were. Several documents were reportedly seized during this simultaneous raid.

Background of the Recruitment Case

The teacher recruitment scam first shook the state in July 2022 when the ED arrested Partha Chatterjee. During that period, the agency recovered approximately ₹20 crore in cash and significant quantities of gold from the premises of his close associate, Arpita Mukherjee. While Chatterjee was eventually released from judicial custody in November after receiving bail, the investigative agencies have remained active, asserting that the probe into the larger conspiracy is still underway.

Political Implications Ahead of Polls

The timing of the ED's action has triggered a fresh wave of political reactions across West Bengal. While opposition parties have used the development to criticize the state government over corruption allegations, the ruling party has termed the raids as a politically motivated move aimed at influencing the upcoming elections. Investigative officials, however, maintained that the searches are strictly part of the legal process to ensure that all individuals involved in the recruitment irregularities are brought to justice.