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Partha Chatterjee used my house as ‘mini bank’, claims Arpita Mukherjee: Report
The West Bengal minister and his associate were arrested by the ED after more than ₹20 crore in cash, besides jewellery and foreign exchange were found from the latter's apartment in south west Kolkata.
Arpita Mukherjee, a close aide of West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee, who was arrested in the school job scam in the state, has made a big disclosure to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), claiming that the latter used her house as a “mini bank”, reported Live Hindustan.
Lawyers of Arpita are likely to reject the claims of the ED sources in court at the next hearing and slammed the agency for leaking details of their investigation to the media. The lawyers may also argue about the low rate of conviction in the cases registered by the ED.
The minister and his associate were arrested by the ED after more than ₹20 crore in cash, besides jewellery and foreign exchange were found from the latter's apartment in south west Kolkata.
Before their arrest, pictures of the cache of currency notes recovered from Arpita's house had gone viral on social media last month. According to the news report, Arpita told the ED that the entire amount was kept in a room of her house, where only Chatterjee and his people were allowed to enter. Arpita said every week or once in 10 days, Chatterjee used to come to her house, the report added.
ED sources reportedly said Arpita told the agency that apart from her house, Chatterjee used another woman's house as a “mini bank”. The other woman is also said to be a close friend of the minister. Arpita reportedly told the ED officials that the minister had never told her how much money was kept in the room.
Also Read | From cash & gold to admit cards – what ED found in Partha and Arpita’s closets
Arpita also told that a Bengali actor had introduced her to Chatterjee in 2016 and since then both were close to each other. Arpita also admitted during interrogation that the money was derived from bribes taken in lieu of transfer postings and for getting recognition in colleges.
She also told that Chatterjee himself never brought the amount. The money was brought by his assistants.
Meanwhile, the ED is grilling TMC MLA Manik Bhattacharya at its office, a source in the central agency said. The central agency personnel are waiting to carry out search operations at a flat owned by Chatterjee's associate Arpita at Belgharia in Kolkata. The keys to her flat are not available and the ED personnel are trying to locate a locksmith. Central police personnel are waiting in the ground floor lobby of the building. Search is on in another flat owned by Arpita at Kasba.
(With inputs from PTI)
