The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has conducted raids on the premises of West Bengal Minister Sujit Bose, TMC MLA Tapas Roy, and former North Dumdum Municipality chairman Subodh Chakraborty in connection with a civic jobs scam. The raids were carried out under tight security, with central forces accompanying the ED officers.
Early Friday morning, searches were conducted at two residences of Sujit Bose in the Lake Town area of North 24 Parganas district. Simultaneously, the central agency officers raided Tapas Roy’s residence on BB Ganguly Street and Chakraborty’s residence in Birati. The ED has stated that they are investigating recruitments in civic bodies and are also questioning the TMC leaders.
The alleged irregularities in municipality recruitments were exposed when Kolkata-based builder Ayan Sheel was arrested by the ED on March 19 in connection with a school jobs scam. During a search at Ayan’s Salt Lake office, OMR answer sheets of candidates for various posts in several municipalities were discovered.
Sujit Bose was summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for questioning in August last year as part of the ongoing probe into alleged irregularities in municipal appointments between 2014 and 2016. The CBI investigation into the municipal hiring scam was allowed by the Calcutta High Court, dismissing the state government’s plea for a stay.
The CBI and ED have informed the Calcutta High Court of links between the civic body recruitment scam and the bribe-for-job scam in the West Bengal school education department. This resulted in the arrest of former education minister Partha Chatterjee. Sujit Bose, who served as vice chairman of South Dum Dum Municipality from 2010 to 2021, during which nearly 250 people were recruited, is the first cabinet minister to be summoned in this case.
These recent raids and investigations highlight the ongoing efforts to uncover corruption and irregularities within the civic bodies of West Bengal. The authorities are committed to holding those involved accountable for their actions. The tight security measures during the raids emphasize the seriousness of the matter and ensure that the investigations proceed smoothly.
It is crucial for the public to have trust in the recruitment processes of municipal bodies, as these positions hold significant responsibility for the development and welfare of the communities they serve. The ED’s actions demonstrate their determination to root out corruption and maintain transparency in such appointments.
As the investigations progress, more clarity is expected regarding the extent of the alleged scam and the involvement of various individuals. The public eagerly awaits the outcomes of these investigations, hoping for justice to be served and for measures to be implemented to prevent such scams in the future.
