Back'Truth will come out about real owner of money': Partha Chatterjee on SSC scam
West Bengal SSC recruitment scam: Former West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee, arrested in the SSC teacher recruitment case, denied his involvement in the scam and asserted that the 'money does not belong to him'
PremiumPartha Chatterjee, former minister in the West Bengal government and an accused in the SSC recruitment scam, denied his involvement in the scam on Sunday. He stated that the money found in the investigation does not belong to him.
He was brought to ESI hospital for a medical examination on Sunday afternoon. When questioned, Partha Chatterjee told the media, "When the time comes, you will know...the money does not belong to me."
Partha Chatterjee - who has now been suspended from the Trinamool Congress - and his aide Arpita Mukherjee have separately been claiming that they are a "victims of a conspiracy."
TMC distances from the probe
Abhishek Banerjee speaking on behalf of the Trinmool Congress said, "Partha Chatterjee has been removed from TMC along with the post of General Secretary, National vice president and three other posts. He has been suspended till the investigation is underway."
Abhishek Banerjee said the investigating agency must complete the probe in a time-bound manner.
"There will be zero tolerance for corruption. Investigating agency must complete the probe within the time limit. Even in Sarada case nothing happened, it's just lingering. There should be a time-bound investigation," he said.
"The one (Arpita Mukherjee) from whose house sums of money were recovered isn't from TMC. We want stringent action against those who are linked to this matter. I am saying this in a hypothetical way that if Partha Chatterjee goes to BJP after two months then he will become a saint. Since he is in TMC, all of these things are happening," he added.
Admitting that huge sums of money had been recovered, Abhishek Banerjee said "TMC is the only party that intervened within seven days in the matter."
Trinamool Congress has distanced itself from the arrest of its former leader Partha Chatterjee by removing him as a minister on Thursday and then suspending him from the party, leaving him to defend himself.
Crores of rupees have been seized in the Enforcement Directorate probe into the teacher recruitment scam from residences linked to Partha Chatterjee's aide Arpita Mukherjee.
ED's investigation in the SSC scam
The arrest of Partha Chatterjee followed after ₹21 crore in cash and jewellery worth above ₹1 crore were 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, including 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.
A five-time MLA, Chatterjee was appointed as the minister-in-charge of higher education and school education in 2014 and he held the portfolio till 2021.
Partha Chatterjee was considered to be one of the most trusted member of TMC and a close aide to Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee. He 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.
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