Bengal SSC Scam: ED Unearths Rs 40 Crore From Arpita Mukherjee's Residences

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday recovered cash amounting to approximately Rs 29 crore from the the Belgharia residence of Arpita Mukherjee, a close aide of West Bengal Minister Partha Chatterjee.

Earlier, Rs 20 crore was recovered from her residence in South Kolkata.

On Wednesday, the sleuths of ED began its searches at the premises linked to aide Arpita Mukherjee in connection with an alleged teacher recruitment scam in West Bengal.

The flat of her mother at Belgharia Club town in North 24 Parganas and three other premises has been covered in the action initiated on Wednesday. One of the two flats of Arpita Mukherjee, in Belghoria, has been sealed by ED.

Thus far, the total cash recovered from her premises is Rs 40 crore.

The ED also conducted a raid at the residence of businessman Manoj Jain in Ballygunge. Jain is reportedly an aide of state minister Partha Chatterjee.

Partha Chatterjee was arrested by the ED on Saturday in connection with the case.

The ED unearthed many disproportionate assets of Partha Chatterjee since his arrest, of which were three flats in West Bengal's Diamond City.

The arrests took place following the raids by the central probe agency in which it seized over Rs 20 crore in cash from the premises of his close associate Arpita Mukherjee. She was also arrested.

ED officials had on Friday raided the residences of Partha Chatterjee and another Bengal Minister Paresh Adhikari and recovered Rs 20 crore in cash from the house of an associate of West Bengal Minister Partha Chatterjee.

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 various premises of the persons linked to the scam.

Partha Chatterjee, who is presently the minister for industries and commerce, was the education minister when the alleged illegal appointments were made in government-run and aided schools by West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC).

The ruling Trinamool Congress described the raids as a "ploy" by the BJP government at the Centre to "harass" its political opponents.

(With Inputs from ANI)

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