The Supreme Court will hear the bail plea of former West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee on December 4. Chatterjee, who has been incarcerated for over two years, faces charges of money laundering in the high-profile education appointment scam.
Both the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have submitted reports detailing Chatterjee’s time in custody and the current status of the trial. However, the court noted that the report was filed on the day of the hearing, leaving insufficient time to review it.
In a prior hearing, the court had instructed the ED to provide details about the duration of Chatterjee’s time in judicial and police custody. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Chatterjee, argued that his client should be granted bail, emphasizing that Chatterjee, who was arrested on July 23, 2022, has already spent 2.5 years in custody.
With the trial yet to begin and 183 witnesses expected to testify, Rohatgi pointed out that Chatterjee had already served a significant portion of the potential seven-year sentence under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
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The court expressed concern over the delay in the trial process, questioning, “How long can we keep Partha Chatterjee behind bars?” Justice Suryakant acknowledged that the investigation was proving to be lengthy, and the trial might take considerable time to commence.
The ED, however, maintained that the prima facie test should apply, arguing that Chatterjee’s release on bail could jeopardize the ongoing investigation.
Rohatgi, defending Chatterjee, referenced a similar case involving former Tamil Nadu Minister Senthil Balaji, where the Supreme Court had granted bail despite evidence of cash found with the accused.
In response, the ED presented evidence indicating that a conviction in Chatterjee’s case was imminent, highlighting the strength of the charges.
The case revolves around allegations of bribery and money laundering related to illegal job appointments in West Bengal’s education sector. In the chargesheet filed by the ED, Chatterjee and his associate, Arpita Mukhopadhyay, are named as key suspects. The ED has also implicated six companies and their directors in the investigation. So far, assets worth Rs 103.10 crore have been seized, including Rs 49.80 crore in cash found in Arpita’s Kolkata apartments and over Rs 5 crore in jewelry.
The Supreme Court’s decision on Chatterjee’s bail plea will have broader implications for similar cases involving political figures facing corruption charges.
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