ED Summons TMC Councillor In West Bengal Teacher Recruitment Scam Investigation

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken a step further in its investigation into the teacher recruitment scam in West Bengal by summoning Trinamool Congress councillor Bappaditya Dasgupta. Dasgupta is known to have close ties with former West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee, who has been in custody since July 2022 in connection with the same scandal. This recent summons follows a prior round of questioning by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) of Dasgupta and another TMC councillor, Debraj Chakraborty, regarding their involvement in the alleged scam.

The ED has requested Dasgupta to appear before the investigating officer at their Kolkata office on Thursday. Notably, he has been directed to bring various documents, including his bank passbook, transaction details, and Income Tax returns spanning the last five years. The summons was issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and delivered to Dasgupta's residence in Kolkata on Tuesday. Although a TMC source indicates that Dasgupta is likely to comply with the summons, the situation underscores the heightened scrutiny on individuals associated with Partha Chatterjee amid the ongoing investigations into the teacher recruitment scandal.

Partha Chatterjee's arrest in 2022 has cast a shadow over his close associates, with both the ED and CBI conducting parallel probes into their potential involvement. The CBI had previously questioned Dasgupta and Chakraborty on January 25 for an extended period. Furthermore, in November of the previous year, the CBI had raided their residences, discovering incriminating documents such as biodata of job aspirants, admit cards, bank statements, and Income Tax return files. The ongoing investigations continue to unravel the complexities of the teacher recruitment scam, bringing the activities of political figures and their associates under intense scrutiny.