Kolkata: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) told on Friday that the probe agency’s Kolkata Zonal Office has filed the second supplementary charge sheet against the former West Bengal Education Minister and Trinamool Congress’ Secretary General, Partha Chatterjee, his close aide Arpita Mukherjee, and others before a special court of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Kolkata on June 25 in connection with the multi-crore cash-for-school job scam.
“The complaint has been filed under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in continuation of the charge sheet dated April 18, 2024, and the first supplementary charge sheet dated October 18, 2025,” said a statement issued by the ED.
The ED had initiated an investigation on the basis of FIRs registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the mater.
The scheduled offences, according to the central probe agency, pertain to criminal conspiracy, cheating and corruption under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860, and Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
Investigation under the PMLA has revealed that a large-scale recruitment scam was perpetrated through manipulation of OMR scores, tampering of personality test marks, illegal appointments of undeserving candidates and issuance of appointments after expiry of panels.
“Investigation also added that thousands of candidates were illegally appointed or recommended for appointment in teaching posts in violation of prescribed rules, thereby depriving deserving candidates of their legitimate appointments,” the statement issued by the ED added.
According to ED, the investigation also revealed that Partha Chatterjee played a key role in influencing and facilitating the illegal recruitment process through abuse of official position in connivance with officials of West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC), School Service Commission, West Bengal Board of Secondary Education, and various middlemen.
“Investigation also revealed that illegal gratification was collected from undeserving candidates in exchange for appointments and recommendations. The proceeds generated from the criminal activities were routed through multiple persons and entities and projected as untainted assets,” the ED statement said.
According to the probe agency, the investigation had further established that the proceeds of crime were generated from large scale illegal recruitment of candidates in teaching posts and were subsequently concealed, possessed, acquired, used and projected as untainted property through various means.
A total of three provisional attachment orders were issued in the case amounting to Rs 301.58 crore so far.
(IANS)
