Former West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee, an accused in a money laundering case, on Sunday denied his involvement in the School Service Commission (SSC) scam and asserted that the “money does not belong to him.”
He and his close aide who is also another accused Arpita Banerjee, have been brought to ESI hospital for a medical examination on Sunday afternoon. “When the time comes, you will know…the money does not belong to me,” he said to media persons on Sunday upon being asked about who is behind this conspiracy. Arrested Bengal minister Partha, who is now suspended from the Trinamool Congress, and Arpita have separately been claiming that they are a “victim of conspiracy.”
Partha Chatterjee was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the School Service Commission (SSC) scam in West Bengal.
Trinamool Congress, which had been distancing itself from its arrested leader Partha Chatterjee, axed him as a minister on Thursday and suspended him from the party leaving it to him to defend himself in the Enforcement Directorate probe in the teacher recruitment scam in which crores of rupees have been seized from residences linked to his aide Arpita Mukherjee.
Trinamool Congress’ decision to part ways with one of its most senior leaders was announced by party leader Abhishek Banerjee at a press conference in which he said “if anyone commits something wrong then Trinamool Congress will not spare him” and ‘there will be zero tolerance for corruption”. He said Partha Chatterjee will remain suspended till probe is underway.
Partha Chatterjee was
considered one of the most trusted lieutenants of the Chief Minister, a “go-to” man and was regarded third in party hierarchy after the chief Minister and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee.
After his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate, Partha Chatterjee had reportedly called Mamata Banerjee four times. She did not take his calls.
The arrest of Partha Chatterjee followed Rs 21 crore in cash and jewellery worth above Rs 1 crore being recovered from the Kolkata residence of Arpita Mukherjee, a close aide of the former education minister. The ED unearthed many disproportionate assets allegedly of Partha Chatterjee since his arrest, of which were three flats in West Bengal’s Diamond City. The ED raided Arpita Mukerjee’s house in connection with an alleged teacher recruitment scam in West Bengal.
“The said amount is suspected to be proceeds of crime of the said SSC scam,” the probe agency had said in a statement.