The bail pleas of Partha Chatterjee and six others accused in the Bengal education scam were rejected by a special CBI court in Kolkata.
Kolkata,UPDATED: Jan 20, 2023 04:49 IST
Partha Chatterjee was arrested over his alleged involvement in the West Bengal teacher recruitment scam. (File photo)
By Rajesh Saha: A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special court in Kolkata rejected the bail application filed by former West Bengal Minister Partha Chatterjee and six others who were arrested in connection with the Bengal education scam. All the seven accused had approached the court seeking immediate bail after completing their last term of judicial custody.
However, after hearing the arguments from both sides, the CBI special court rejected the bail petition for all the seven accused and extended their judicial custody. They will all be produced before the court on February 2 again.
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WHAT HAPPENED IN COURT?
Partha Chatterjee’s lawyer, advocate Selim Ahmed, said the ousted minister “didn’t take a single rupee” and argued that “not a single rupee has been recovered from his residence”. He claimed that Partha Chatterjee had no “direct connection” with the money trail that the CBI is investigating.
He added, “If this goes on, there will be no other option left except to sit on a dharna like the scene in the Bollywood movie Jolly LLB.” He told the court that if Partha Chatterjee is granted bail, he will not join the education ministry immediately and will cooperate with the CBI’s probe into the case.
However, the CBI strongly opposed Partha’s bail plea and asked the court to extend his judicial custody. The probe agency said undeserving candidates were recruited in an illegal manner and there is huge money trail in the case.
The court then rejected the bail pleas and extended the judicial custody of all the accused arrested.
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BENGAL EDUCATION SCAM
Partha Chatterjee was arrested in July 2022 over his alleged involvement in the West Bengal teacher recruitment scam. The former minister has been accused of provisions under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee removed Partha Chatterjee from all ministries following his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The Trinamool Congress (TMC) also removed him from all posts he held in the party.
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