Arpita Mukherjee was granted bail by an ED court after her July 2022 arrest in the West Bengal school jobs scam. As a close associate of ex-education minister Partha Chatterjee, she faces restrictions, including a Rs 5 lakh bond and mandatory court appearances. The investigation reveals substantial corruption and money laundering linked to illegal school appointments.
New Delhi: A designated Enforcement Directorate (ED) court on Monday granted bail to Arpita Mukherjee, who was arrested in July 2022 in connection with the school jobs scam in West Bengal. Mukherjee, alleged to be a close associate of former West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee, had been in judicial custody since her arrest.
The court at Bankshall directed Mukherjee to furnish a bond of Rs 5 lakh, with adequate sureties, half of which must be local. Additionally, she is barred from leaving the territorial jurisdiction of Kolkata Police without prior court permission and must appear for every hearing of the case.
Mukherjee and Chatterjee were arrested as part of the ED’s investigation into alleged illegal appointments of teaching and non-teaching staff in government-sponsored and aided schools in West Bengal. The ED has claimed to have unearthed a massive money trail, recovering Rs 49.80 crore, gold bars, jewelry, and documents related to properties and a jointly held company from Mukherjee’s flats.
The school jobs scam involves allegations of corruption in the recruitment process for schools under the West Bengal government. The investigation centers on money laundering linked to illegal appointments, with both Mukherjee and Chatterjee being central figures in the case.
The ED alleges that Mukherjee acted as a close confidante of Chatterjee, aiding in laundering proceeds from the scam. The recovered cash and assets have been presented as evidence to establish the connection between the two.
The court emphasized strict conditions for Mukherjee’s bail, reflecting the seriousness of the charges. While she has been granted temporary relief, her movements will remain restricted, and her presence will be mandatory for all proceedings.
The granting of bail marks a significant development in the high-profile case, which continues to unfold with Partha Chatterjee still in custody. Investigations by the ED are ongoing, as authorities aim to unravel the full scope of the alleged scam.
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