Republic exposes financial links of Partha Chatterjee-Arpita Mukherjee; details here

As the probe of the Enforcement Directorate in the recruitment scam continues, Republic accessed proof of the direct financial link between accused Partha Chatterjee and Arpita Mukherjee on Tuesday. The channel has learnt that between 2011 to 2022, Mukherjee allegedly bought over 18 properties, purportedly from the proceeds of crime.

In one of a number of properties, Chatterjee is the co-purchaser with Mukherjee. The property in question is a plot of land, measuring approximately 7,300 square feet, located in Birbhum, and was brought in the year 2012 by the Chatterjee-Mukherjee duo as per the deed accessed. 

So far, two of Mukherjee's property have been raided by the ED. In raids on Mukherjee's Diamond City residence at Tollygunge in South Kolkata, Rs 20 crore worth of cash in Indian and foreign currencies, and 2 Kg gold ornaments were seized. From residence at Belgharia in the northern outskirts of Kolkata, cash worth Rs 27.90 crore and 6 kg of gold were recovered. 

'Money does not belong to me' 

"The money does not belong to me, it was kept there in my absence," the actor-model told earlier in the day. This is in addition to the confession by Mukherjee earlier, in which she said that 'close aides of  Chatterjee used to come and stack the money and she was not allowed to enter the flats'.

Concluding that the documents, as well as stashes of cash recovered make the involvement of Chatterjee and Mukherjee in the scam clear, both were arrested on July 23. Post the arrest, while Chatterjee was remanded to two-day ED custody, Mukherjee was sent to one-day custody. 

On the day of the expiry of the custody, i.e., on July 25, the court extended it till August 3. With the 10 days of custody of the duo coming to an end, they will be produced before the Court on Wednesday. 

The ED is investigating the money laundering angle, as the CBI investigates the recruitment scam on the directions of the Calcutta High Court, which received a slew of petitions regarding irregularities in the appointment of Group ‘C’ & ‘D’ staff, Assistant Teachers of classes IX-XII and primary teachers.