Kolkata, May 18 (IANS). Panchu Roy, former chairman of Trinamool Congress-run South Dum Dum Municipality in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, appeared at the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office in Salt Lake, Kolkata on Monday. He was questioned in connection with the cash-for-job scam in the municipality.
Sources said that ED had arrested former West Bengal Fire Services Minister Sujit Bose in the same case last week and he is currently in the custody of the central agency.
Sujit Bose’s name had come up during the investigation into recruitment irregularities in South Dum Dum Municipality. ED officials had arrested him after interrogating him at length and thoroughly scrutinizing the documents and financial records.
Investigators found evidence that suggested Bose had recommended at least 150 candidates for appointments in the municipality in exchange for money.
Panchu Roy’s name had earlier also appeared in the charge sheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). CBI is also conducting a parallel investigation into the municipal recruitment scam along with ED.
This was the second time. When Panchu Roy appeared before ED officials in connection with this case. During his previous appearance before the agency, he had denied being involved in any corruption or illegal recruitment activities and claimed that the summons sent to him were only to harass him.
The ED first became aware of the municipal jobs scam when it was raiding the properties of Trinamool Congress-linked promoter Ayan Sheel during its investigation into the school jobs scam in West Bengal and related money laundering activities.
After this, the Calcutta High Court directed the CBI to start a separate investigation in the municipal recruitment case. As the investigation progressed, more names linked to recruitment irregularities came under the scanner.
Former fire services minister Sujit Bose, a three-time Trinamool Congress MLA from Bidhannagar assembly constituency in North 24 Parganas, had lost the West Bengal assembly elections held last month.
–IANS
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