Kolkata, May 13: A special court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Kolkata has remanded former West Bengal Fire Services Minister Sujit Bose to Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody until May 21. Bose, who served in the previous Trinamool Congress government, was arrested on Monday night in connection with a cash-for-jobs scheme involving municipal recruitment that allegedly cost millions of rupees.
His arrest followed over ten hours of questioning at the ED’s Salt Lake office in the northern outskirts of Kolkata. On Tuesday afternoon, he was presented before the special PMLA court.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the judge ordered Bose to remain in ED custody until May 21. Bose’s lawyer filed a bail petition, arguing that the documents used for his client’s arrest were only available to investigators between 2022 and 2023, raising questions about the legality of an arrest based on documents from three to four years ago.
However, the ED’s lawyer opposed the bail request, expressing concerns that Bose, as a prominent politician, might tamper with evidence or influence witnesses if granted bail. After considering the arguments, the judge sided with the ED’s lawyer and remanded Bose to custody.
Bose, who has served three terms as a Trinamool Congress MLA from the Bidhannagar constituency in North 24 Parganas, lost in the recent elections.
The ED’s investigation into the cash-for-jobs scheme began when they received information during a raid related to another money laundering case involving the Trinamool Congress and school job scams. Following a directive from the Calcutta High Court, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) also initiated a parallel investigation into the municipal recruitment scam.
As both agencies continued their inquiries, several politically influential figures, including state ministers and leaders from the ruling party, emerged in connection with the case.
My name is Bhupendra Singh Chundawat. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
Leave a Comment