(MENAFN- Live Mint) Supreme Court of India granted conditional future bail to former West Bengal Education Minister and Trinamool congress (TMC) leader Partha Chatterjee in connection with a money laundering case linked to a cash-for-jobs scam.
The 2014 and 2015 Teacher's Eligibility Test (TET) exams in West Bengal were marred by a cash-for-jobs SSC (School Service Commission) recruitment scam. The scam involved high-ranking government officials accepting bribes in exchange for government jobs. The Calcutta High Court invalidated 24,000 irregular appointments that were a result of the scam.
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A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan ruled that Chatterjee would be released on February 1, 2025, provided that the trial court frames charges before the winter vacation and examines vulnerable witnesses by the second and third weeks of January 2025.
The court stipulated that upon his release, Partha Chatterjee would not be allowed to hold any public office but could continue serving as an MLA for Behala West. The justices emphasised the need to balance the rights of the accused and the victims, stating,“A suspect cannot be detained indefinitely.”
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Bengal SSC Scam: Background of the Case Partha Chatterjee's bail plea was previously denied by the Calcutta High Court, which found a prima facie case against him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The Supreme Court had reserved its verdict on December 4, after hearing arguments from both sides. During the proceedings, Justice Surya Kant remarked,“On the face of it you are a corrupt person. Crores of rupees were recovered from your premises,” highlighting the serious nature of the allegations against him.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has been investigating Partha Chatterjee for alleged irregularities in the recruitment of teaching and non-teaching staff in government-sponsored primary schools. The agency recovered approximately ₹49.80 crore (around $6 million) in cash, along with jewellery and gold bars from properties associated with his close aide, Arpita Mukherjee.
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Partha Chatterjee's Ongoing Legal Proceedings The Supreme Court directed the ED to complete evidence recording by mid-January and mandated that a decision on framing charges be made by December 31.
Partha Chatterjee's release will only occur after these processes are completed. It is important to note that while he has been granted bail in this case, he still faces pending charges in a separate case being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), where he has yet to secure bail.
Also Read | SSC scam: Ex-WBSEB head, Partha Chatterjee's CBI custody extended till 21 Sept
Partha Chatterjee was the education minister in West Bengal from 2014 to 2021. He was arrested by the ED in July 2022 and is currently facing multiple cases lodged by ED and CBI in cash-for-jobs case related to recruitment of primary teachers, secondary teachers and Group C and D posts.
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