WBSSC scam: Partha Chatterjee can come back if proven NOT guilty, says TMC

WBSSC scam latest updates: “Partha Chatterjee has been removed from TMC along with the post of General Secretary, National vice president & three other posts. He has been suspended till the investigation is underway. He can come back if proven not guilty,” TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee said.

KOLKATA: West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Thursday said that the arrested Minister Partha Chatterjee, who has now been sacked from the state cabinet and removed from all party posts, can come back if proven not guilty in the WB SSC teacher’s recruitment scam being probed by the Enforcement Directorate. 

“Partha Chatterjee has been removed from TMC along with the post of General Secretary, National vice president & three other posts. He has been suspended till the investigation is underway. He can come back if proven not guilty,” TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee said.

Partha Chatterjee has been removed from TMC along with the post of General Secretary, National vice president & three other posts. He has been suspended till the investigation is underway. He can come back if proven not guilty: TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee pic.twitter.com/lxadGt5OHN — ANI (@ANI) July 28, 2022

Praising CM Mamata Banerjee, Abhishek said, “CM took the decision and the (Partha Chatterjee) minister was removed. The probe into the matter is underway. If anyone commits something wrong then TMC won't spare him.”

The senior TMC leader further assured that there will be “zero tolerance for corruption.” “Investigating agency must complete the probe within the time limit. Even in Sarada case nothing happened, it's just lingering. There should be a time-bound investigation,” he demanded.

There will be zero tolerance for corruption. Investigating agency must complete the probe within the time limit. Even in Sarada case nothing happened, it's just lingering. There should be a time-bound investigation: TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee pic.twitter.com/YHq5HYNgmv — ANI (@ANI) July 28, 2022

The TMC MP also claimed that Arpita Mukherjee, from whose house sums of money were recovered by the ED, isn't from TMC. "We want stringent action against those who are linked to this matter," he demanded.

The development came shortly after Chief Minister dropped minister Partha Chatterjee from the state cabinet. The TMC chief said that her party takes strictest action against those involved in cases of corruption, no matter what position they hold.

#UPDATE | Partha Chatterjee, accused in West Bengal SSC recruitment scam, relieved of his duties as Minister in Charge of his Departments with effect from 28th July: Government of West Bengal pic.twitter.com/gM34aQr8Yi — ANI (@ANI) July 28, 2022

“I have removed Partha Chatterjee as a minister. My party takes strict action. There are many plannings behind it, but I don't want to go into details,” West Bengal CM said.

Partha Chatterjee has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a school jobs scam.

"Partha Chatterjee, minister in charge, department of industry, commerce and enterprises, department of information technology and electronics, department of parliamentary affairs and department of public enterprises and industrial reconstruction, is hereby relieved of his duties as MIC of the aforesaid department with immediate effect," an official order said.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee later said at a government event here that she will look after the portfolios held by Chatterjee for the time being. The ED had arrested Chatterjee, who is also the Trinamool Congress secretary-general, on July 23 in connection with its investigation into alleged irregularities in the recruitment drives by the School Service Commission (SSC).

The central agency has also arrested Chatterjee's close associate Arpita Mukherjee and seized crores of rupees from her houses in different parts of the city.