Arpita Mukherjee gets bail after 857 days in jail

Arpita Mukherjee, a close associate of former West Bengal Minister Partha Chatterjee, has been granted bail after spending more than two and a half years in custody. A special Enforcement Directorate (ED) court approved her release on a personal bond of ₹5 lakh. Arpita was arrested in July 2022, following raids at her properties that uncovered large amounts of unaccounted-for money and valuables, which were believed to be linked to a larger recruitment scam.

On July 22, 2022, the ED raided Arpita Mukherjee’s flats in Tollygunge and Belgharia, recovering approximately ₹52 crore in cash and ₹3 crore in jewelry. The raids were part of an ongoing investigation into the recruitment irregularities and corruption involving high-ranking officials in the West Bengal government. The recovered cash, hidden in bags and boxes, stunned investigators and revealed the scale of the alleged corruption. Arpita has repeatedly claimed that the money did not belong to her. In court, she stated that she was unaware of the origins of the money and denied any involvement in the corrupt activities tied to it.

The court granted bail to Arpita after she had been in custody for over two years. The court imposed several conditions on her release, including the surrender of her passport and restrictions preventing her from leaving the jurisdiction of Kolkata Police. While out on parole earlier this year following her mother's death, Arpita had been allowed temporary freedom, which has since been followed by the full bail decision. The granting of bail was significant as it came from a lower court, unlike previous accused individuals in similar cases, such as Manik Bhattacharya, who sought bail through the High Court.

The investigation into the recruitment scam, known as the "teacher recruitment scam," has implicated several individuals within the state’s education sector. The scam involved the illegal hiring of teachers for government posts in exchange for bribes. Partha Chatterjee, a senior leader of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), has been one of the central figures arrested in connection with this case. The ED’s investigation suggests that the bribes were funneled through individuals like Arpita, and the large sums of cash seized from her properties point to a system of widespread corruption.

Arpita Mukherjee’s involvement in the case, as well as her close association with Partha Chatterjee, has been a focal point of public interest, with several questions remaining about her role. As of now, she has not been accused in any other cases related to the scam. However, the investigation continues, with the ED and other authorities pursuing further leads related to the misuse of power for illegal recruitment practices.