WB SSC scam: SACK Partha Chatterjee from your cabinet, BJP's Suvendu Adhikari dares CM Mamata Banerjee

Partha Chatterjee, the Industry and Commerce Minister, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday in connection with its investigation into the irregularities in the recruitment drives by the School Service Commission (SSC).

Kolkata: West Bengal's leading opposition parties BJP and CPI-M on Monday said that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is trying to make Cabinet Minister Partha Chatterjee a scapegoat after he was arrested in connection with the West Bengal teacher recruitment scam by the Enforcement Directorate. Attacking the TMC chief, Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of Opposition, said Mamata's party was trying to distance itself from Minister Partha Chatterjee after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she ''would not spare anyone if found guilty.''

Adhikari said that no one would believe that the TMC's top leadership was unaware of the scam, which allegedly happened when Chatterjee was the education minister.

"চিনি না, জানি না।"
"দলের কেউ না।"
"দল এর দায় নেবে না।"

Trying hard to wash off the stain, but ziddi DAAG hain, itni asani se dhulega nahi:- pic.twitter.com/q4CgXt0f8I — Suvendu Adhikari • শুভেন্দু অধিকারী (@SuvenduWB) July 23, 2022

"Such comments are laughable. The investigating agencies must investigate the money trail. The TMC top brass is now trying to distance itself from Partha Chatterjee as if he is solely responsible for everything. The TMC is trying to make him a scapegoat," Adhikari said. "What is stopping the state government from sacking Partha Chatterjee as a cabinet minister? This proves that the TMC supports corruption," he added.

CPI(M) state secretary Mohammed Salim termed it an old trick of the TMC to distance itself from leaders caught in corruption cases. "When TMC leaders were arrested in Saradha and Rose Valley scams, the party tried to wash off its hands. Why blame a few leaders when the entire party is structurally corrupt," he alleged.

Taking on the opposition for a "malicious campaign" launched against her, the chief minister has asserted that she does not support corruption.

"I will not get into the details of the case as it is sub judice. We have full faith in the judiciary. We want a time-bound probe into the matter. If someone is found guilty, the person should be punished accordingly, be it life imprisonment. I won't mind. But, I condemn the malicious campaign against me," she said, addressing an award function.

Chatterjee, the Industry and Commerce Minister, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday in connection with its investigation into the irregularities in the recruitment drives by the School Service Commission (SSC).

The ED today claimed that West Bengal Minister Partha Chatterjee went to the state government-run SSKM Hospital “faking illness” so that he could not be questioned in connection with the teacher recruitment scam. 

The central agency also sought 14-day custody of Partha Chatterjee from the special court hearing the case. The agency also pointed out that AIIMS-Bhubaneswar, after a check-up, has ruled out any “active health intervention.”

The agency, which is probing the alleged money trail in a school recruitment scam, also pleaded for his “close associate” Arpita Mukherjee's custody for 13 days. The ED, in its submission, said that Chatterjee got admitted to the SSKM hospital “faking illness” and the agency could not question him during the two-day remand granted by a chief metropolitan magistrate on Saturday.

The Calcutta High Court had on Sunday directed that Chatterjee be taken to AIIMS-Bhubaneswar by an air ambulance for a health check-up.