The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has arrested Sujay Krishna Bhadra alias ‘Kalighater Kaku (Uncle from Kalighat)‘ in connection with the West Bengal school job scam. Mr. Bhadra who was being investigated for his alleged role in the scam appeared before the ED on Tuesday and was questioned for over 12 hours before he was arrested late on Tuesday night. Sources in the investigating agency said that Mr. Bhadra was not cooperating with the investigation and trying to mislead the probe.
Earlier this month on May 20 the ED searched different houses of Mr. Bhadra. in Kolkata. Prior to this, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had also questioned Mr. Bhadra and searched his properties.
The name of a mysterious ‘Uncle from Kalighat’ had cropped up a few months ago from the accused in a recruitment scam who were arrested by the investigating agencies. Mr. Bhadra came forward and spoke to the media on several occasions. Though Mr. Bhadra had denied any involvement in the school job scam he had said that he used to work for Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee. The CBI on May 20 question Mr. Banerjee for over nine hours in connection with the West Bengal school job scam.
The name Kalighater Kaku has been subject of much speculation in political circles as the residence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is in Kalighat.
After the arrest, Mr. Bhadra is likely to be produced before a Court in Kolkata. on Wednesday. The arrest is one of the series of arrests in the recruitment scam that came to fore in July 2022 with the arrest of former State Education Minister Partha Chatterjee and the recovery of huge cash from the residence of his aide Arpita Mukherjee.
The Calcutta High Court had on several occasions directed investigation by the central investigation agencies in the school job scam.
Over a dozen accused, which include three MLAs of the ruling party as well as senior officials of the State Education Department and agents who allegedly collected money from candidates have been arrested in the West Bengal school job scam.
The appointment of nearly 4,000 candidates who allegedly used unfair means to get jobs have been terminated. The scam has also rocked the politics of the State with political parties in the Opposition targeting the ruling Trinamool Congress government in the State.
