ED arrests ex-Bengal minister Sujit Bose in municipal jobs scam
Synopsis
ED arrests ex-Bengal minister Sujit Bose after 11-hour interrogation in multi-crore municipal jobs scam.
Key Takeaways
ED arrested Sujit Bose on Monday night after 11 hours of interrogation.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Sujit Bose, a former minister in the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led West Bengal cabinet under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Monday night in connection with the multi-crore municipal recruitment scam in the state. The arrest came after nearly 11 hours of interrogation at the ED's CGO Complex office in Salt Lake, Kolkata.
Sequence of Events Leading to the Arrest
Bose arrived at the ED's Salt Lake office at around 10.30 am along with his son, Samudra Bose, who was also summoned in the same case. After a marathon interrogation session spanning nearly 11 hours, central agency officials formally placed him under arrest late Monday night. This was Bose's third appearance before the ED — he had previously appeared on 1 May and 4 May, but was allowed to leave on both occasions after questioning.
Who Is Sujit Bose
Bose served as a minister in the previous TMC government and was a sitting legislator from the Bidhannagar Assembly constituency. He was defeated in the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections and is currently not a legislator. Prior to his arrest, ED officials had conducted searches at multiple locations linked to him, including his residence, his office, and his son's restaurant near VIP Road, accompanied by central forces.
The Municipal Recruitment Scam: Background
The municipalities' job case first came to light when ED officials, while conducting raids at the residence of TMC-linked promoter Ayan Shil in connection with a separate money laundering probe tied to the cash-for-school jobs scam in West Bengal, received information about large-scale irregularities in municipal recruitment. Subsequently, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) also launched a parallel investigation into the matter, following an order from the Calcutta High Court. As the probe progressed, the names of several politically influential individuals — including state ministers and ruling party leaders — reportedly surfaced.
Bose's Allegations of Political Conspiracy
Bose had previously denied any wrongdoing and alleged that the investigation was politically motivated. Speaking to the media earlier, he said,
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Sujit Bose arrested?
He was arrested in connection with the municipal recruitment scam.
