E-Paper
Who is Monalisa Das, another associate of Bengal minister on radar? | 10 points
Monalisa Das is a university professor who is being touted as another close associate of Partha Chatterjee – after ₹21 crore was recovered from Arpita Mukherjee's flat. BJP made fresh claims against Monalisa Das in connection with the teacher recruitment scam.
After actor and model Arpita Mukherjee who had ₹21 crore in her flat all in cash, a professor of a university Monalisa Das has come under the ED scanner in connection with the teacher recruitment scam. Minister Partha Chatterjee and Arpita Mukherjee have been arrested on Saturday. While the minister has been sent to 2-day custody, Arpita Mukherjee will be produced in court on Sunday. Also Read: Partha Chatterjee sent to 2-day ED custody over Bengal recruitment scam
Here are the latest updates on the alleged multi-crore teacher recruitment scam in West Bengal:
1. BJP claimed the name of Profesor Monalisa Das has cropped up in the case. She is allegedly the owner of 10 flats in Santiniketan, Birbhum. However, reports claimed Monalisa Das refused all these allegations.
2. BJP's Dilip Ghosh said Monalisa has a history of repeated visits to Bangladesh. "Bengal SSC scam are deep-rooted. I won't be surprised if the money of corruption is spent to pay jihadis or goes to Bangladesh through Hawalas," Dilip Ghosh tweeted.
3. An ED official said the name of Monalisa Das had cropped up during the previous investigation and Arpita Mukherjee was also questioned about her.
4. A senior ED official said Arpita Mukherjee shared some details about the 'chain' through which money was collected by touts from job aspirants and how it then went up through the ladder to officials and politicians with each having his specific share. Arpita Mukherjee is likely to be produced in the court on Sunday.
5. Apart from ₹21 crore, 20 mobile phones were recovered from the premises of Arpita Mukherjee.
6. Minister Partha Chatterjee was arrested on Saturday after hours of interrogation. He was sent to 2-day ED custody. On Saturday evening, the 69-year-old minister was hospitalised after he fell ill.
7. The Trinamool on Saturday said the government will take action against Partha Chatterjee if he is proven guilty of the scam. He also made it clear that as of now he will not be removed from the Cabinet.
8. As the BJP insists on a link between Arpita Mukherjee and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee by sharing photos and videos of events where both were seen, Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said the allegations are 'baseless and politically motivated'. Just sharing the dais doesn't mean anything. Several BJP leaders have been seen sharing dais with fugitives Mehul Choksi and Nirav Modi. Does that mean that BJP leaders, too, are at fault? They should stop making such baseless allegations," TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said.
9. As Arpita Mukherjee was arrested on Saturday, she said she is innocent and being harassed by the agency.
10. Arpita Mukherjee's mother Minati Mukherjee said her daughter was into modelling and came in touch with Partha Chatterjee a few years ago when she became the face of a famous Durga Puja Committee, patronised by Partha Chatterjee.
