WBSSC scam: Partha Chatterjee suspended from TMC, removed from all party posts

WBSSC scam: The development comes after Partha Chatterjee was sacked by the Mamata Banerjee-led Bengal government from the state cabinet earlier today.

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New Delhi: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Thursday (Jul 28) suspended former West Bengal Minister Partha Chatterjee, an accused in the SSC recruitment scam, from the party along with the post of General Secretary and National vice president, senior party 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,” Banerjee was quoted as saying by ANI. 

This comes after Partha Chatterjee was sacked by the Mamata Banerjee-led Bengal government from the state cabinet. “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,” 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

Calling for a time-bound probe in the alleged school jobs scam, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee said, "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." 

Earlier today, Mamata Banerjee had relieved Chatterjee from his duties as a minister. "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," an official order said. The Bengal CM will take charge of the portfolios held by Chatterjee for the time being.

The ED had arrested Chatterjee on July 23 in connection with the case of alleged irregularities in the recruitment drives by the School Service Commission (SSC) which took place when he was the state education minister from 2014 to 2021. Chatterjee's close aide Arpita Mukherjee was also arrested and ED has seized crores of rupees from her houses in different parts of Kolkata. 

(With agency inputs)