New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Friday conducted searches at 11 properties, including the premises linked to Trinamool Congress (TMC) minister Sujit Bose, in connection with the alleged irregularities in the West Bengal municipal recruitment.
Bose, the Bidhannagar Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), is a minister of fire and emergency services.
The investigative agency had earlier conducted searches in January at the residential premises of Bose and food and supplies minister Rathin Ghosh.
“Investigation was initiated on the basis of the Central Bureau of Investigation’s FIR (First Information Report). The Hon’ble High Court of Calcutta had directed the registration of the FIR on an application filed by the ED stating that the recruitment scam is not only limited to school teachers, but also extends to recruitment of various posts in municipalities of West Bengal,” an ED spokesperson said. “Premises include the office premises of Sujit Bose and that of his companies.”
The raids were also conducted at the houses of former officials of the Dum Dum municipality, ED sources said. Searches are also underway at the minister’s office located in a building in Sector 1, Salt Lake.
Multiple candidates, according to the CBI, got jobs in several municipalities, including the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, by paying agents around Rs 50,000 on an average.
This alleged recruitment scam came to light during a probe into the West Bengal school jobs scam. The ED had recovered documents related to recruitment in municipalities from the premises of an accused agent, Ayan Sil. In April 2023, the Calcutta High Court directed the CBI to investigate irregularities in the recruitment process of municipalities.
“During further investigation in respect of the Primary Teachers Recruitment Scam under the PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act), searches were carried out at various premises linked to Ayan Sil and others on 20 March, 2023,” the CBI FIR says.
Incriminating documents along with digital evidence were recovered and seized from Sil, it adds.
The scrutiny of these documents revealed that the scam also covered several appointments by the “various municipalities [including Kanchrapara, New Barrackpur, Kamarhati, Titagarh, Baranagar,Halisahar, South Dum Dum (N), Dum Dum, Taki etc.] which ranges from recruitments of Mazdoors, Sweepers, Clerks, Peon, Ambulance attendants, Assistant mistries, Pump operators, Helpers, Sanitary assistants, Drivers, etc,” the CBI FIR reads.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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