ED summons TMC councilor in investigation of West Bengal teacher recruitment scam

Taking a step forward in the investigation into the teacher recruitment scam in West Bengal, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Trinamool Congress councilor Bappaditya Dasgupta. Dasgupta is believed to have close links with former West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee, who is in custody since July 2022 in connection with the same scam. This latest summons comes after the first round of questioning of Dasgupta and another TMC councilor Debraj Chakraborty by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with their involvement in the alleged scam. The ED has requested Dasgupta to appear before the investigating officer at its Kolkata office on Thursday. Specifically, they have been instructed to bring various documents including their bank passbooks, transaction details and income tax returns for 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 has indicated that Dasgupta is likely to comply with the summons, the situation underlines the increased scrutiny on individuals linked to Partha Chatterjee amid the ongoing investigation into the teacher recruitment scam. The arrest of Partha Chatterjee in 2022 has cast a shadow over his close associates, with both the ED and CBI conducting parallel investigations into their possible involvement. The CBI had earlier interrogated Dasgupta and Chakraborty for a long period on January 25. Moreover, in November last year, the CBI had raided his residences in which incriminating documents like biodata, admit cards, bank statements and income tax return files of job aspirants were found. The ongoing investigation continues to uncover the intricacies of the teacher recruitment scam, bringing the activities of political figures and their associates under intense scrutiny.