The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday, 20 May issued fresh summons to Rathin Ghosh, former food and supplies minister in the previous Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal cabinet, directing him to appear for further interrogation in the multi-crore cash-for-municipalities job scam. Ghosh has been asked to present himself at the ED's office in the CGO Complex, Salt Lake, Kolkata by the afternoon of 25 May — the same day results for the re-polling at Falta Assembly constituency in South 24 Parganas are expected to be declared.

Background: Ghosh's History With the ED

Rathin Ghosh, a four-time All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) legislator from Madhyamgram Assembly constituency in North 24 Parganas, had been summoned by the ED on multiple prior occasions in connection with the urban civic bodies' recruitment case. He repeatedly declined to appear, citing campaign commitments as the reason for his absence.

He finally complied on 15 May, appearing at the CGO Complex and undergoing questioning for approximately 10 hours. On entering the ED office that day, Ghosh reportedly said he did not know why he had been called. He offered no statement upon leaving. The fresh summons now calls him back for a second round of interrogation.

Another TMC Leader Already in ED Custody

The case has already claimed one prominent political figure. Sujit Bose, a former three-time TMC legislator and former state fire services minister in the previous Banerjee cabinet, is currently in ED custody in connection with the same municipalities job scam. Bose was defeated in the recent assembly elections from his Bidhannagar constituency, also in North 24 Parganas.

How the Probe Began

The municipalities job case came to light during ED raids at the residence of Ayan Shil, a TMC-linked promoter, in the course of a separate money laundering investigation tied to the cash-for-school jobs scam in West Bengal. Information gathered during those searches pointed investigators toward a parallel, large-scale racket involving paid appointments in urban civic bodies.

Following an order of the Calcutta High Court, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) also launched a parallel probe into the municipalities job case. As both central agencies advanced their investigations, the names of several politically influential individuals — including sitting ministers and ruling party leaders — reportedly surfaced.

Wider Political Implications

This is not an isolated development. The municipalities job case is part of a broader pattern of recruitment-linked corruption probes in West Bengal that have ensnared multiple TMC-affiliated figures in recent years. The timing of Ghosh's fresh summons — scheduled on the day of the Falta by-poll result — is notable, though investigators have not publicly linked the two events. With Bose already in custody and Ghosh facing a second round of questioning, the investigation appears to be deepening rather than plateauing. The next significant development will likely hinge on what emerges from Ghosh's 25 May appearance.