Partha Chatterjee used to take Arpita Mukherjee for joyrides: Report

The four high-end cars of Arpita Mukherjee that are now missing were the party venue of Partha Chatterjee and Arpita Mukherjee, ED officials said. Partha Chatterjee booked two new cars before being arrested in the SSC scam, ED revealed.

As the Enforcement Directorate looks for the four high-end cars of Arpita Mukherjee which have been missing from the parking lot of her Tollygunge, investigators have come to know that Arpita Mukherjee and Partha Chatterjee used to have parties inside those cars, news agency PTI reported. Sacked Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee and his close aide Arpita Mukherjee from whose flats a total of ₹52 crore have been recovered allegedly in connection with the teacher recruitment scam are in the custody of ED.

An ED official told PTI that these vehicles have a connection with the case as one of them was gifted to Arpita Mukherjee by the former minister who is believed to have helped her in buying the others as well.

"Partha Chatterjee used to follow Arpita Mukherjee in another vehicle and after a point, he used to get inside her vehicle for a joyride," an official said, as quoted by PTI. The missing cars include one Mercedes which the ED officials have traced, an Audi and two Honda City.

Two new cars were booked by Partha Chatterjee for which advance payments were also made but before they were delivered, Partha and Arpita got arrested. These two vehicles were booked for two shell companies, investigators said.

On Saturday, ED found ₹2 crore for Arpita Mukherjee's third flat in New Town. The process to freeze her five bank accounts has also begun. Some other bank accounts allegedly operated by Arpita Mukherjee but linked to many shell companies are on the ED radar.

(With PTI inputs)