What Recent Search Operations Did the ED Conduct in the Bengal School Service Commission Case?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- The ED is actively investigating the SSC recruitment case.
- Search operations aim to uncover the assets of Prasanna Roy.
- Over Rs 26 crore was found linked to Prasanna's companies.
- Prasanna claims his wealth is from agricultural activities.
- 250 bank accounts were discovered during the investigation.
Kolkata, Aug 14 (NationPress) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) executed search operations at two locations, including one in Kolkata, as part of its ongoing investigation into the School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment case for Group C and Group D positions.
Officials from the central investigation agency targeted two areas, one of which was in New Town, located on the northern fringes of Kolkata. As per sources from the ED, this operation aimed to uncover the assets of Prasanna Roy, the suspected middleman arrested in 2024 and currently incarcerated.
The investigation revealed that Prasanna possessed assets worth crores of rupees, with some already seized. Nonetheless, additional significant assets and cash have surfaced.
Following these findings, the ED has initiated another phase of search operations, not only in New Town but also in other regions of the state, targeting Prasanna's assets.
Prasanna was initially detained by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) concerning the SSC corruption allegations, after which the ED began probing the financial discrepancies related to this case.
During their inquiry, the ED identified over Rs 26 crore across various companies linked to Prasanna. He has asserted that his wealth originated from agricultural endeavors, claiming he invested in farmland and deposited his earnings into his companies' accounts, as indicated in the agency's charge sheet.
The investigation uncovered a total of 250 bank accounts belonging to Prasanna, his wife, and close associates, with the ED alleging that Rs 72 crore was transacted through these accounts.
Previously, the central agency confiscated Prasanna's assets valued at Rs 163 crore. This current round of searches aims to further trace the origins of Prasanna's wealth.