Calcutta High Court questions why ex-minister Partha Chatterjee remains detained in a corruption case, seeks clarification from the Enforcement Directorate.
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KOLKATA: On Monday(1st April),The Calcutta High Court has raised questions regarding the continued custody of former state minister Partha Chatterjee in connection with a recruitment corruption case.
Justice Tirthankar Ghosh, inquiring with the Enforcement Directorate (ED), questioned the necessity of Partha’s remand, asking-
“Is there any need to keep Partha in custody?”
The judge sought clarity from the ED regarding the justification behind Partha’s detention in relation to the ED case and the status of other individuals involved. In response, the ED stated that they have discovered additional properties and affirmed that the investigation is progressing in the right direction. However, Partha’s bail hearing did not conclude on Monday, and the next hearing is scheduled for April 16.
Justice Ghosh, considering Partha’s application, expressed concerns about the protracted duration of the recruitment corruption investigation.
He remarked-
“The recruitment corruption investigation is no longer at an early stage. Even if it is assumed that the ED cases were filed at the end of 2022, it has been more than one and a half years. Now the position of the investigating agency needs to be clear.”
Partha Chatterjee was arrested by the ED on July 22, 2022, in connection with the recruitment corruption case. He is currently imprisoned in the Presidency Jail.
Furthermore, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has also pressed charges against Partha in the same corruption case. The lower court is currently hearing the complaints filed by both the ED and the CBI. Despite Partha’s multiple bail applications in the lower court, none have been granted thus far.
Last February, Partha sought bail from the CBI cases in the High Court. Prior to that, he had filed a bail application in the High Court for the ED case, 13 months after his arrest. The bail hearing took place before Justice Tirthankar Ghosh.
In response to Partha’s bail application, the ED filed a counter-appeal opposing his release. The initial hearing for this case was held on September 6, 2023. At the ED’s request, the hearing date was subsequently postponed by a month. Subsequently, the hearing faced several delays due to various reasons.
During the recent proceedings, the ED informed the court that they have uncovered additional properties linked to a middleman, which are yet to be investigated. The ED asserted that the investigation is progressing in the right direction.
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On the other hand, Partha’s lawyer argued-
“Arpita Chatterjee has now passed all the money on my client. He himself wants to be cleared of all charges.”
In response to this statement, the judge remarked-
“I would have stood for you if Arpita was able to earn that huge property.”
