kolkata

IIE DIGITAL DESK : Kolkata once again finds itself at the centre of a high-profile political and legal storm as the Enforcement Directorate prepares to summon former West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee and his close associate Arpita Mukherjee for questioning in connection with the SSC recruitment scam. According to sources, both are likely to be called in for interrogation soon after the Dol festival, marking a fresh twist in the ongoing investigation into alleged irregularities in school recruitment across the state.

The former minister was earlier arrested in connection with the primary teacher recruitment corruption case, a development that had sent shockwaves through West Bengal’s political landscape. Arpita Mukherjee was also arrested during the same phase of investigation, as central agencies claimed to have unearthed substantial evidence linking her to the alleged financial transactions tied to the scam. After spending several years behind bars, Partha Chatterjee was granted bail, while Arpita Mukherjee had secured bail earlier. Both are currently out on bail, but the legal scrutiny around them appears far from over.

The SSC scam, which revolves around alleged irregularities in appointments made through the School Service Commission, has been under the scanner of central investigative agencies for a considerable period. The Enforcement Directorate, probing the money laundering angle of the case, has reportedly found references to both Partha Chatterjee and Arpita Mukherjee in multiple strands of the investigation. Officials believe that certain financial trails and documentary evidence require further clarification, prompting the decision to summon them for detailed questioning.

Sources indicate that the ED’s renewed move comes after fresh findings emerged during the examination of financial records and statements. The agency is said to be keen on understanding the alleged flow of funds, the role of intermediaries, and whether there was any direct or indirect involvement of the former minister and his associate in influencing recruitment processes. Investigators are also expected to confront them with documents and testimonies gathered during the course of the probe.

The primary teacher recruitment scam had already seen charge sheets filed by both the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate. The framing of charges marked a significant step in the judicial process. Meanwhile, in the SSC recruitment case, the ED has reportedly submitted its charge sheet as well, intensifying the legal pressure on those named in the investigation. With both cases interlinked in terms of alleged financial irregularities, the agencies are leaving no stone unturned to piece together the larger picture.

Political observers believe that the fresh summons could once again stir debate in the state’s political corridors. While Partha Chatterjee has consistently denied wrongdoing, maintaining that he is being targeted, the investigative agencies have asserted that their actions are based on documentary evidence and financial trails uncovered during the probe. Arpita Mukherjee, too, has faced intense scrutiny over alleged assets and transactions that investigators claim are linked to the recruitment scam.

all eyes will be on the Enforcement Directorate’s next move and the responses of Partha Chatterjee and Arpita Mukherjee. The renewed interrogation signals that the SSC scam investigation remains very much active, and the coming days could prove crucial in determining the direction of one of West Bengal’s most talked-about corruption cases.