SSC scam: Partha Chatterjee, Arpita Mukherjee sent to 14-day judicial custody

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• Aug 5, 2022 | Sourav Boruah

 Digital Desk: In connection with the ED
investigation into the money trail in the School Service Commission
appointments scandal, a special PMLA court in Kolkata on Friday sentenced
former Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee and his aide Arpita Mukherjee to a
14-day judicial confinement until August 18. The ED has asked for both to be
placed on judicial hold for 14 days.

After
hearing from all the parties involved in the case, Jibon Kumar Sadhu, the
special court judge for the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), had
reserved his decision. Since their detention on July 23, Chatterjee and
Mukherjee have been held in ED custody for further investigation into the
alleged money trail associated with the hiring of unlawful teaching and
non-teaching staff at West Bengal government-sponsored and aided institutions.

Additionally,
the ED attorney had asked the court for permission to question the two accused
in the prison facility in light of recent developments in the case. His
attorney pleaded for Chatterjee's release on bond, arguing that he was now a
regular person and would not flee.

According
to Chatterjee's attorney, "He is not a powerful person anymore and is also
willing to contemplate giving up his MLAship."

Mamata
Banerjee, the chief minister, has divested Chatterjee of his ministerial
responsibilities, and the Trinamool Congress has demoted him from every
position he previously had inside the organisation. The ED asserts that
Chatterjee's admission to the state-run SSKM hospital in Kolkata resulted in at
least two of the 15 days he was held in its custody being lost.

On the Calcutta High Court's directive, Chatterjee was taken to
AIIMS Bhubaneswar for a medical examination, and the staff there reported that
he didn't need any emergency treatment.

The ED claims to have retrieved documents related to the
properties and the joint business owned by the two defendants, as well as Rs
49.8 crore in cash, a sizable quantity of jewellery, and gold bars from
Mukherjee's apartment buildings.