Guwahati: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday recovered cash worth approximately Rs 29 crore at Arpita Mukherjee’s Belgharia home. Mukherjee is a close associate of West Bengal Minister Partha Chatterjee.
20 crore rupees had previously been taken from her South Kolkata home.
The ED investigators started their searches at the locations connected to Arpita Mukherjee’s assistant on Wednesday in relation to an alleged teacher recruitment fraud in West Bengal.
The activity started on Wednesday has covered her mother’s apartment in North 24 Parganas’ Belgharia Club town as well as three other locations. The ED has sealed one of Arpita Mukherjee’s two Belghoria apartments.
The total amount of money taken from her premises so far is Rs 40 crore.
The Ballygunge home of businessman Manoj Jain was also the target of an ED raid. Partha Chatterjee’s state minister, Jain, apparently has his support.
The ED detained Partha Chatterjee on Saturday in connection with the case.
Since his detention, the ED has discovered various disproportionate assets belonging to Partha Chatterjee, including three apartments in Diamond City, West Bengal.
Following the central investigation agency’s raids, which resulted in the seizure of more than Rs 20 crore in cash from the residences of his close friend Arpita Mukherjee, the arrests were made. She was detained as well.
On Friday, ED agents searched the homes of Partha Chatterjee and another Bengali politician, Paresh Adhikari, and found Rs 20 crore in cash in the home of a Chatterjee associate.
The purpose and use of a total of more than 20 mobile phones that were found inside Arpita Mukherjee’s home are now being determined, according to the investigation agency.
In addition to cash, a lot of other damning documents, records, information about shady businesses, technological gadgets, foreign currency, and gold have also been found in the numerous locations where the scammers were staying.
When the alleged illegal appointments were allegedly made in government-run and aided schools by West Bengal School Service Commission, Partha Chatterjee—who is currently the minister for industries and commerce—was the minister of education (WBSSC).
The central BJP government’s “plot” to “harass” its political rivals, according to the ruling Trinamool Congress, was dubbed as the raids.