Governor Bose grants ED permission to prosecute Partha Chatterjee in recruitment scam

West Bengal Governor Dr. C.V. Anand Bose has given formal approval to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to prosecute former Education Minister Partha Chatterjee in a money laundering case linked to the recruitment of primary teachers in state-run schools. A senior official from the Raj Bhavan confirmed this development on Thursday, marking another significant step in the ongoing probe into one of Bengal’s biggest education scams.

The Governor had earlier granted sanction to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for prosecuting Chatterjee in a separate case related to the alleged recruitment scam involving secondary schools. This coordinated clearance for both central agencies highlights the gravity of the allegations against the former minister, who currently serves as a Trinamool Congress MLA from the Behala West constituency.

Alongside Chatterjee, the Governor has also approved prosecution of the former Chairman of the West Bengal Primary Education Board, Manik Bhattacharya, in connection with the same scam. Both individuals are accused of their alleged involvement in large-scale corruption and irregularities in the recruitment of primary school teachers.

Partha Chatterjee was arrested by the ED in 2022 after the agency unearthed evidence suggesting his role in a scam worth crores of rupees. His tenure as Education Minister lasted from 2011 to 2021, during which several recruitment anomalies reportedly took place. Cash, jewelry, and property documents recovered during raids intensified suspicions of financial misconduct.

In December 2024, the Calcutta High Court denied Chatterjee’s bail plea, citing the seriousness of the charges and the influence he may wield over witnesses or evidence. Since then, the investigation has been ongoing, with both the CBI and ED probing different angles of the alleged scam.