Kolkata: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday raided more than 10 locations in and around Kolkata, including an office of West Bengal fire and emergency services minister Sujit Bose, in connection with alleged irregularities in the recruitment of staffers in several municipalities in the state, officials aware of the development said.
“Multiple teams conducted simultaneous searches from early Friday morning. At least 11 locations, including Salt Lake, Nagerbazar, Kankurgachi, Lake Town, Girish Park and Sarat Bose Road among others were searched. An office of Bose was also raided,” an ED official said.
The Calcutta High Court ordered a probe in April 2023, and the CBI registered an FIR (first information report) into the alleged irregularities in recruitments in municipalities. The bench had said that the high court acted on the basis of a status report of the CBI. “The same persons accused in the teacher recruitment scam are accused in the municipality recruitment scam. What more material does the judge require at the stage of registering FIR?”
Also Read: Supreme Court rejects Bengal plea to stop CBI probe into municipal recruitment
The CBI in July 2024 told the Calcutta High Court that it had found irregularities in more than 1,800 appointments made since 2014 in 17 civic bodies in the state. The CBI had also told the court that the maximum number of the alleged irregularities took place in South Dum Dum (329), Kamarhati (303), Baranagar (276), Titagarh (221), Krishnanagar (200) and Ranaghat (101) municipalities, among others.
{{/usCountry}}The CBI in July 2024 told the Calcutta High Court that it had found irregularities in more than 1,800 appointments made since 2014 in 17 civic bodies in the state. The CBI had also told the court that the maximum number of the alleged irregularities took place in South Dum Dum (329), Kamarhati (303), Baranagar (276), Titagarh (221), Krishnanagar (200) and Ranaghat (101) municipalities, among others.
{{/usCountry}}According to the federal agency, at least 3,650 recruitments were made in various posts like labour, clerk, ambulance attendant, pump operator and driver, among others. There are 121 civic bodies in West Bengal.
Also Read: ED raids Bengal minister’s house, civic body heads in alleged municipal job scam
On Friday, the ED also searched the residence of South Dum Dum municipality vice-chairman Nitai Dutta and an auditor’s residence at Kankurgachi.
Earlier too, the agency conducted raids. In 2023 and 2024, raids were conducted at multiple locations, including the premises of state Food and Supplies Minister Rathin Ghosh, the former chairman of Madhyamgram municipality.