KolkataWest Bengal’s major opposition parties BJP and CPI(M) on Monday said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is trying to make cabinet minister Partha Chatterjee a scapegoat after she was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the West Bengal teacher recruitment scam. Attacking the TMC chief, Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari said that Mamata’s party was trying to distance itself from Chief Minister Partha Chatterjee after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had said that she would “not spare anyone if found guilty”. .’
The official said that no one would believe that the top TMC leadership was unaware of the scam, which allegedly happened when Chatterjee was the education minister.
“চিনি া, নিা া»
“দলের া»
“দল ায় াTried a lot to wash the stain, but there are stubborn stains, it will not wash off with so much ease:- pic.twitter.com/q4CgXt0f8I– Suvendu Adhikari • ারী (@SuvenduWB) 23 July 2022
“Such comments are ridiculous. Investigating agencies should investigate money transactions. Top TMC officials are now trying to distance themselves from Partha Chatterjee as if he is fully responsible for everything,” the official said. Kind of responsible. TMC is trying to make him a scapegoat.” , “What is stopping the state government from sacking Partha Chatterjee as a cabinet minister? This proves that TMC supports corruption,” he said.
CPI(M) state secretary Mohammad Salim termed the Trinamool Congress’s old trick to distance itself from leaders caught in corruption cases. He alleged, “When TMC leaders were arrested in the Saradha and Rose Valley scams, the party tried to wash its hands. Why blame some leaders when the entire party is structurally corrupt.”
Targeting the opposition for the “malicious campaign” launched against her, the chief minister said she does not support corruption.
“I will not go 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 anyone is found guilty, that person should be punished accordingly, be it life imprisonment. I will have no objection. But, I condemn the malicious campaign against me,” she said while addressing an award function.
Industries and Commerce Minister Chatterjee was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday in connection with the probe into irregularities in the recruitment drive by the School Service Commission (SSC).
The ED today claimed that West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee went to the state-run SSKM hospital for a “fake 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 has denied any “active health intervention” after the investigation.
The agency, which is probing alleged money laundering in a school recruitment scam, also sought the custody of its “close associate” Arpita Mukherjee for 13 days. The ED, in its plea, said that Chatterjee was admitted to the SSKM hospital on a “false illness” and the agency could not interrogate 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 by air ambulance to AIIMS-Bhubaneswar for a health check-up.