Fresh 14 days jail remand for Partha Chatterjee,  Arpita Mukherjee 

Kolkata, Aug 31, 2022, IBNS294

Rejecting an appeal of conditional bail, a special court in the city on Wednesday further extended the judicial remand of former West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee and his close aide Arpita Mukherjee for two more weeks in connection with the government-aided schools' scam.

The next hearing will be held virtually on Sept 14, a court report said.

The counsels for the former minister argued for bail with the judge on any condition, even under house arrest so that their client could undergo treatment for his various ailments.

The counsels for the Enforcement Directorate, however, told the court that the arrested minister was the mastermind in the scam and that even in jail he has huge influence and can access vital documents.

Therefore the ED wanted a custodial trial in the proceeding.

Meanwhile, Arpita Mukherjee did not appeal for bail, court sources said.

Rejecting a bail prayer of the former minister, Judge Jibon Kumar Sadhu granted 14 days judicial remand of the two accused on a prayer by the ED.

The former education and commerce minister has been stripped off his ministerial portfolios and ruling Trinamool Congress post of secretary general after his arrest on July 23 by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with alleged money laundering and involvement in irregular appointments of teaching and non-teaching staff in the government aided schools.

The ED sleuths uncovered nearly Rs 50 crore in cash and gold jewellery worth Rs 4.5 crore from Mukherjee’s residences during searches.