TMC MLA Manik Bhattacharya arrested, 2nd arrest in Bengal education scam

New Delhi: Tightening the noose further on culprits in the Bengal education scam, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday arrested Trinamool legislator Manik Bhattacharya, after hours of questioning. The TMC MLA was called for interrogation on Monday and after hours of quizzing, he was taken into custody.

This is second big arrest in the Bengal school jobs scam. Earlier, former Bengal minister Parth Chatterjee was arrested by the ED sleuths after piles of cash were found from the premises of his close associate Arpita Mukherjee.

The TMC MLA’s name cropped in CBI probe and later ED tightened the noose on him. Incriminating documents were seized in raids at his house, including hard disk drive which contained a list of ‘incompetent & undeserving’ candidates who despite them being ‘unfit for the job’ were given jobs in the Bengal recruitment scam.

Reports said that he was also the President of West Bengal Board of Primary Education and it was during his tenure that the scam took place. He however was later removed from the post by Calcutta High Court.

The TMC MLA, who represents Palashipara assembly, will be taken for a medical test and produced in a court later today.

The Bengal school jobs scam attained national limelight when the ED arrested Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee and his close aide Arpita Mukherjee in July.

The ED claimed that Chatterjee & his aide indulged in money laundering by illegally allotting teaching jobs to undeserving candidates, based on the recommendations of School Service Commission (SSC). The forged recruitment helped them garner huge proceeds of crime, it said.

ED has also arrested the then West Bengal Industries Minister and former Education Minister Partha Chatterjee and his close aide Arpita Mukherjee in this case. Bhattacharya was first summoned after Chatterjee’s arrested.