On Monday, the Supreme Court paused the hearing about TMC leader Partha Chatterjee’s bail request. Chatterjee is involved in a money laundering case related to a job scam in West Bengal. Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan wanted to look at more documents before making a decision.
During the hearing, Chatterjee’s lawyer shared information about how long he has been in custody for other cases. The Court asked for details about how long Chatterjee has been in police custody and judicial custody. This case is about problems with hiring primary school teachers, and many witnesses are expected to speak, but the trial hasn’t started yet.
Chatterjee, who is 73 years old, has been in jail for almost 2.5 years. His lawyer, Mukul Rohatgi, told the Court that there are 183 witnesses in this case, but things are moving slowly. On the other hand, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, representing the Enforcement Directorate (ED), warned that the charges against Chatterjee are serious. The ED found over Rs 21 crore in cash connected to Chatterjee.
The Supreme Court recognized the seriousness of the case and mentioned that the investigation is ongoing and the conviction rates in money laundering cases are low. It was shared that a chargesheet has been filed, but the investigation is still continuing. It was also noted that Chatterjee is in judicial custody for another case with the CBI.
Chatterjee was arrested by the ED in July 2022 for his part in the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment scam, which involves problems in hiring teachers and non-teaching staff for government schools. His associate, Arpita Mukherjee, was also arrested. The ED discovered over Rs 49 crore in cash, gold bars, and important documents linked to Chatterjee and Mukherjee.
After Chatterjee’s arrest, he was removed from his ministerial duties, and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) kicked him out of all party roles, including secretary general. Meanwhile, the Calcutta High Court has ordered the CBI to investigate illegal hiring for several staff positions and teachers in the state.
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