Former state education minister Partha Chatterjee has been granted conditional bail in the Primary Recruitment Scam case by the Calcutta High Court. Justice Shuvra Ghosh passed the order late on Thursday, laying down several restrictions for the embattled leader.
According to the conditions, Chatterjee cannot communicate with witnesses, must deposit his passport, and is required to cooperate fully with the investigation. He has been directed to share his mobile number with the investigating officer and meet them once every month. Additionally, he will not be allowed to function as an MLA, hold any public office, leave the jurisdiction of the lower court, or engage in any criminal activity.
Chatterjee was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation on October 1 last year, after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had earlier taken him into custody in July 2022 in connection with the school recruitment scam.
"His bail marks a significant development in a case that has shaken the state’s education sector. Chatterjee may not be released from prison immediately," said ED's lawyer Phiroze Edulji.
The Supreme Court has set strict deadlines in another recruitment corruption case, ordering that charge sheets be framed within a month and testimonies completed within two months. Until this process is concluded, Chatterjee's release could remain stalled.
The scam first came to light after the ED raided Chatterjee’s residence in Naktala, South Kolkata, on July 22, 2022. Simultaneous raids on the flats of Arpita Mukherjee — known to be close to Chatterjee — in Tollygunge and Belgharia led to the recovery of staggering amounts of cash— ₹21.9 crore from Tollygunge and ₹27.9 crore from Belgharia. Both Chatterjee and Mukherjee were arrested following the seizures.
Mukherjee has already secured bail, and with the High Court’s latest order, Chatterjee has also received conditional bail. Yet, it remains uncertain whether the former education minister will walk out of jail before Durga Puja.
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