After TMC Minister Partha Chatterjee, ED Arrests His 'Aide' Arpita Mukherjee

Meanwhile, the TMC denied 'any relation whatsoever' with the money that had been seized from Mukherjee.

Rs 20 crore in cash seized by ED from the premises of an aide of West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee after the agency conducted raids on Friday.

(Photo: PTI)

After the arrest of West Bengal Cabinet Minister Partha Chatterjee, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday, 23 July, arrested Arpita Mukherjee, an alleged aide of Chatterjee.

According to ANI, the ED recovered cash approximately amounting to Rs 20 crore from her residence on Friday during overnight raids.

"Searches were conducted in 14 locations, out of which two were suspicious, including Arpita Mukherjee's residence. Documents recovered from her house show direct link and exchange of money between two parties," the ED said earlier.

Photos posted by the central agency showed enormous piles of Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 banknotes.

"The said amount is suspected to be proceeds of crime of the said SSC scam," the ED said in a statement.

The agency also claimed that the money that was seized from Mukherjee's house was found inside envelopes with 'minister in charge, Dept of Higher Education, West Bengal' embossed on them.

'TMC Has No Relation to the Money That Has Been Seized'

Meanwhile, the TMC denied "any relation whatsoever" to the money that has been seized from Mukherjee.

"The person from whose house the money was found is not associated with TMC in any way," party leader Kunal Ghosh said.

The party also said that if Chatterjee was found guilty, the party would initiate action against him.

"If the charges against Partha are true then action will be taken against him on a party and government level. We hope that that probe is wrapped up at the soonest and facts are presented to the court. No need to drag this out [sic]," TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said while addressing a press conference.

TMC leader Aroop Biswas, on the other hand, said that the ED was "trying to associate one person with another on the basis of a picture or two."

Chatterjee Sent to 2-Day ED Custody

Chatterjee was remanded in the custody of the ED for two days, after being arrested in connection with the alleged teacher recruitment scam.

The minister, who has been booked under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), will also be produced in a special court on Monday.

He was interrogated for 24 hours after Rs 20 crore was seized from Mukherjee's house.

Chatterjee held the education portfolio when the alleged scam was pulled off. He was interrogated by the CBI twice – once on 26 April and then on 18 May.

At least seven to eight ED personnel arrived at the minister's Naktala residence around 8:30 am on Friday, with CRPF personnel keeping guard outside.

The ED is looking into the alleged irregularities in the recruitment of Group C and D staff as well as teachers in government-sponsored and aided schools on recommendations of the West Bengal School Service Commission.