Bengal Cash-For-Job Case: Ex-Minister's Name Surfaces In Probe Against Arrested TMC Leader Ajit Mahata

(MENAFN- IANS) Kolkata, Nov 1 (IANS) The name of a former West Bengal Minister has surfaced during the course of interrogation of Ajit Mahata, the Trinamool Congress leader, arrested on the night of October 29 on charges of extorting Rs 10 lakh from a job aspirant by promising him employment in a government office

An insider from the state police said that during interrogation, Mahata had confessed that the individual, who was promised the job, was recommended by the former West Bengal minister, who hailed from the Jhargram district, which is also the native district of Mahata.

However, the police are yet to divulge the name of that particular former minister.“Nothing more can be said at this moment, considering that the investigation into the matter is at a preliminary stage,” the state police officer said.

He also clarified that the name of the former minister is not mentioned in the FIR registered against Mahata. However, he added that during interrogation, Mahata named the former minister, hence a probe into these lines has been initiated by the investigating official.

The recruitments against which the money was extorted were in relation to the West Bengal Forest Department and the West Bengal West Regional Development Department.

Mahata was arrested on the night of October 29 following a complaint lodged by a resident, Sajal Das, who alleged that the Trinamool leader had taken around Rs 10 lakh from him in multiple instalments over a period of time on the promise of securing a government job.

In his complaint, Das further alleged that despite paying the money, he did not receive the promised job. He also claimed that when he approached Mahata seeking either employment or a refund, he was threatened with dire consequences.

Mahata had been evading arrest for a considerable period of time despite multiple complaints filed against him earlier at Jhargram Police Station. Acting on the latest complaint, police conducted a late-night operation and arrested him at his residence.

Ajit Mahata was considered an influential political figure in the Jhargram district and had contested the last Assembly election from the Gopiballabhpur constituency. However, he lost the contest to BJP candidate Rajesh Mahata by a huge margin.

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