Partha Chatterjee Removed From Bengal Ministry Amid SSC Scam Row

Partha Chatterjee, who was state minister of commerce, industry and enterprise in West Bengal, was removed from his ministerial role amid charges of money laundering in the School Service Commission (SSC) scam case.

PTI reported that Chatterjee was removed from his post with immediate effect.

This comes close on the heels of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) finding Rs 29 crore worth of cash and 5 kgs of gold in the home of his alleged close associate Arpita Mukherjee on Wednesday. They had earlier found Rs 20 core in Mukherjee's home on July 22.

Also read: Rs 29 Cr, 5kg Gold: What ED Found In Raid At Arpita Mukherjee's Home

Chatterjee was arrested by the ED on July 23 and sent to the custody of the Enforcement Directorate till August 3. He was questioned in connection with the irregularities in the recruitment of school teachers for government-aided or funded schools in West Bengal. Chatterjee was the education minister of West Bengal between 2014 and 2021.

While the ED is investigating a money laundering angle, it has also been established that people known to the former minister unduly benefitted during the recruitment process. The Calcutta High Court said on Monday that there was definitive information that Biswambhar Mandal, Chatterjee's personal security guard, had helped 10 of his relatives get jobs illegally. Several petitioners also alleged that not only did they not get jobs despite clearing examinations, but they also found that the names of those who didn't appear for the exams or scored low marks appeared high on the merit list.

Also read: Why Was TMC's Partha Chatterjee Arrested? All You Need To Know About The SSC Scam

Earlier on Thursday, the official spokesperson of TMC, Kunal Ghosh, called for Chatterjee's resignation. Ghosh took to Twitter to comment on the recent discoveries of the ED saying, "Partha Chatterjee should be removed from ministry and all party posts immediately. He should be expelled. If this statement considered wrong, party has every right to remove me from all posts. I shall continue as a soldier of @AITCofficial."

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said that the Trinamool Congress would not spare wrongdoers. "Trinamool Congress doesn't spare people who are thieves. I don't spare even my MLAs and MPs," Banerjee had said.