On Wednesday, the Supreme Court reserved its order regarding the bail plea of Partha Chatterjee, an MLA and former West Bengal education minister, in connection with a money laundering case linked to irregularities in the cash-for-jobs recruitment scandal.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan made the decision after hearing arguments from both sides.
Chatterjee’s counsel, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, strongly urged the court to grant bail, emphasizing his client’s prolonged detention.
Rohatgi also pointed out that the court had granted bail to other accused individuals in the case.
However, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, representing the Enforcement Directorate (ED), opposed the plea, citing the serious nature of the charges and the substantial amounts of cash seized in the investigation.
The Supreme Court remarked that Chatterjee’s plea for bail based on parity with other accused was problematic, considering that those individuals’ actions were allegedly directly tied to his own conduct.
The court also questioned the implications of granting bail to those involved in corrupt activities, though it acknowledged the delay in the trial.
Case Background
In the previous hearing, the top court noted that the trial for the irregularities in the recruitment of primary school teachers had not begun yet, and authorities still had to examine hundreds of witnesses.
Rohatgi informed the court that Chatterjee had been in jail for nearly 2.5 years, and at 73 years old, his health was a concern.
The ED’s opposition to the bail was based on the gravity of the charges and the significant amount of cash recovered during the investigation.
The court also noted that the CBI is probing another case in which Chatterjee is in judicial custody.
In July 2022, the Enforcement Directorate arrested Chatterjee in connection with the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) teacher recruitment scam.
Officials later moved him to the Presidency Correctional Home in May 2023.
Earlier, the ED had seized over Rs 21 crore in cash from the residence of one of Chatterjee’s associates.
Following his arrest, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) suspended Chatterjee from the party and removed him from all positions.
In a related development, the Calcutta High Court had instructed the CBI to investigate the illegal recruitment of Group C and D staff, along with Assistant Teachers and primary teachers, in the state.
The Enforcement Directorate is investigating the case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
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