Kolkata: A special PMLA court here on Wednesday extended the judicial remand of former West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee till September 28 on a prayer by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is probing alleged money trail in the school jobs scam. The Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court also extended the judicial remand of Chatterjee's alleged close aide, Arpita Mukherjee, for 14 days.
Rejecting a bail prayer of the former minister, Judge Bidyut Baran Roy granted 14 days' judicial remand of Chatterjee and Mukherjee on a prayer by the ED till September 28. Opposing the bail prayer, ED counsel Phiroze Edulji claimed before the court that around Rs 100 crore have so far been recovered in the form of cash and assets of Mukherjee, the alleged associate of the former minister.
Produced before the court through the virtual mode from Presidency Correctional Home here, Chatterjee prayed that he be granted bail. His lawyers were present before the judge physically. The judge granted permission to the ED to question the two accused in the correctional homes they are lodged in and to record their statements.
While the court has rejected Chatterjee's bail prayers on earlier occasions also, Mukherjee has so far not made any bail petition before it. The court directed that the two accused be produced before it again on September 28 through virtual mode. Chatterjee and Mukherjee were arrested by the ED on July 23 in connection with its probe into the money trail in illegal appointments of teaching and non-teaching staff in West Bengal government-sponsored and -aided schools.
The ED has claimed to have recovered Rs 49.80 crores in cash, jewellery and gold bars from flats owned by Mukherjee besides documents of properties and a company in joint holdings. Chatterjee has been relieved of his ministerial duties by the Mamata Banerjee government, while the Trinamool Congress has also removed him from all posts he held in the party, including that of its secretary general. (PTI)
