Kolkata, August 24: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its investigation into the SSC Group-C and Group-D recruitment scam in West Bengal. On August 20, a supplementary prosecution complaint was filed against several individuals, including Partha Chatterjee and Arpita Mukherjee, in a special court in Kolkata. This complaint follows a previous prosecution complaint dated January 22, 2025, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
In a press release issued on Monday, the ED revealed that its investigation was initiated based on an FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Kolkata. The inquiry focuses on significant irregularities in the recruitment of Group-C and Group-D staff through the West Bengal Central School Service Commission (WBCSSC). The alleged crimes include criminal conspiracy, fraud, and corruption as defined by the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
The investigation has uncovered that the recruitment scam involved manipulation of OMR scores, rank jumping, issuance of fake and backdated recommendation letters, illegal appointments after the panel’s deadline, and hiring of ineligible candidates by bypassing established recruitment procedures.
It was also revealed that Partha Chatterjee, the then Minister in charge of the Education Department, had complete control over the WBCSSC and related entities. He allegedly abused his official position to influence and facilitate illegal appointments. Under his directives, lists of ineligible candidates were prepared, and recommendation and appointment letters were sent through intermediaries, including Prasanna Kumar Roy and his associates. The inquiry has also identified manipulation of OMR-based exam results and rank jumping to facilitate these illegal appointments.
A network of intermediaries and agents reportedly extorted illegal payments from candidates by promising them secure jobs. Candidates were charged amounts ranging from 10 lakh to 20 lakh rupees for various positions, with 15-16 lakh rupees for Group-C roles and 10-12 lakh rupees for Group-D roles. Prasanna Kumar Roy acted as the main intermediary, collecting and distributing the proceeds of the crime.
The investigation estimates that the total proceeds from the Group-C and Group-D recruitment scam amount to at least 630.40 crore rupees. This figure is based on the number of illegal appointments and the amounts extorted from candidates. It is believed that the actual earnings from the crime could be higher, as other illegal recruitment methods, such as rank jumping and appointments outside the panel, were also involved.
Additionally, the illegal earnings from the recruitment scam were concealed and laundered through a network of associates, proxies, and shell companies. During a raid related to a primary teacher recruitment scam, approximately 49.80 crore rupees in cash and gold and jewelry worth around 5.08 crore rupees were seized from Arpita Mukherjee’s premises.
The investigation has shown that Arpita Mukherjee acted as the custodian of illegal funds and was appointed as a director/shareholder in several shell companies used to manage and launder the illicit earnings. Furthermore, properties were purchased using funds obtained from the recruitment scam through companies linked to the accused and their associates.
To date, the ED has seized assets worth approximately 247.35 crore rupees related to the SSC Group-C and Group-D recruitment scam. Overall, the ED has confiscated over 702 crore rupees in illegal earnings connected to the SSC and primary teacher recruitment scams.
On April 3, 2025, the Supreme Court ruled that the recruitment process conducted by the West Bengal Central School Service Commission was tainted by fraud. The court annulled the appointments of over 25,000 teachers and staff, highlighting significant irregularities, including manipulation of OMR scores, rank jumping, and illegal appointments.
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