Former West Bengal Food and Supplies Minister Rathin Ghosh appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at its Salt Lake office in Kolkata on Friday, 15 May, after having ignored four consecutive summonses in connection with the multi-crore municipalities' recruitment scam. His appearance comes days after another former cabinet colleague was arrested in the same case, sharply raising the stakes for the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) veteran.

Four Summonses, One Appearance

The ED had issued notices to Ghosh ahead of the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections, but he declined to appear on each occasion, citing election-related duties. On Friday, he arrived at the ED's Salt Lake office at around 11 am. Speaking briefly to reporters outside, he said he was 'unaware of the exact reason' for the summons — a claim that drew immediate scrutiny given the agency's publicly known investigation into the municipality hiring irregularities.

Notably, despite TMC's defeat in the assembly polls, Ghosh retained his seat from Madhyamgram constituency in North 24 Parganas district — his fourth consecutive win from the same seat since 2011.

Colleague's Arrest Sets a Precedent

The interrogation of Ghosh follows the high-profile arrest of Sujit Bose, former Fire Services Minister in the Mamata Banerjee-led cabinet, on the night of 11 May. Bose was detained after a 10-hour interrogation session at the same Salt Lake office. He was produced before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court on 12 May, which remanded him to ED custody until 21 May. Whether Ghosh faces a similar outcome remains to be seen.

How the Probe Began

According to investigators, the municipalities' job scam first came to light during ED raids at the residence of Ayan Shil, a promoter with reported links to TMC, in the course of a separate money laundering investigation tied to the cash-for-school-jobs scam in West Bengal. As the probe widened, the names of several politically influential individuals — including serving state ministers and ruling party leaders — reportedly surfaced.

Following an order from the Calcutta High Court, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) also launched a parallel inquiry into the municipalities' recruitment irregularities, running alongside the ED's money laundering investigation.

Scale of the Investigation

The twin-agency probe — ED on the money laundering angle, CBI on the criminal conspiracy — signals the investigation's expanding scope. The municipalities' job scam is distinct from, though linked in origin to, the larger school jobs scam that has already ensnared several senior TMC figures. Investigators have not publicly disclosed the total estimated value of the alleged irregularities in the municipalities' case.

What Comes Next

ED officials have not confirmed whether Ghosh will be arrested or released after questioning. Legal observers note that the agency's recent pattern — prolonged interrogation followed by custody — mirrors how it handled Bose. The CBI's parallel probe adds another layer of legal exposure for those named in the case. With assembly elections concluded and political cover diminished, the investigation is expected to accelerate in the coming weeks.