Recruitment Scam: Arpita Mukherjee gets parol after mother's death

Arpita Mukherjee, a central figure in the West Bengal recruitment scam, has been granted parole following the death of her mother. Mukherjee was arrested on July 23, 2022, after a raid at her flat resulted in the discovery of large sums of money, leading to her detention. She was charged in connection with the scam, in which jobs in various state government departments were allegedly sold for bribes. Despite the seriousness of the charges, Mukherjee had sought bail on multiple occasions, citing her mother’s deteriorating health, but all such requests were rejected.

On Wednesday night, Mukherjee’s mother passed away after a prolonged illness. The news was immediately conveyed to Mukherjee in prison. On Thursday morning, she filed an application for parole to attend her mother’s funeral and perform last rites. The West Bengal court granted her parole the same day, allowing her to leave prison for five days. The parole was approved following her mother’s death and on humanitarian grounds, as Mukherjee had been her primary caregiver. Mukherjee had informed the court several times of her mother's worsening health condition but had not been granted bail.

In connection with the recruitment scam, Mukherjee’s case is tied to that of former state education minister Partha Chatterjee. Chatterjee, who was also arrested in July 2022, was granted bail on Thursday. However, the granting of bail has been mired in legal complexities. There was disagreement between two judges over the bail petitions of Chatterjee and three other co-accused in the case. This disagreement led to the case being referred to the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court for a final decision. A third bench will now take up the matter to determine the outcome of the bail applications.

Mukherjee’s detention in the case has raised questions about the handling of her medical and personal circumstances, as she had consistently requested bail due to her mother’s poor health. Despite being denied bail for nearly two years, her parole grant marks a temporary relief, allowing her to participate in the funeral rites. Both Mukherjee and Chatterjee remain under investigation as key figures in the ongoing recruitment scam, which continues to draw attention due to its scale and political ramifications. Mukherjee is expected to return to jail after her five-day parole period expires.