Why is arrested minister being retained in Mamata Banerjee's cabinet, asks BJP's Suvendu

Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday questioned why Partha Chatterjee is being retained as a minister by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee despite his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with an alleged school jobs scam. Adhikari met Governor La Ganesan at the Raj Bhavan here, seeking that Chatterjee, who holds the industry, commerce and parliamentary affairs portfolios, be removed as minister.

''She (the chief minister) has not taken any step against him despite so much information and proof,'' Adhikari told reporters after the meeting.

Adhikari, a former minister in the Mamata Banerjee government before joining the BJP in 2020, alleged that it is ''her strategy to show that she is good and others are not''.

The chief minister had said during a programme on Monday that anyone found guilty in court would face action from the party.

Chatterjee and his alleged close associate Arpita Mukherjee were arrested on July 23 by the ED, which is probing the money trail involved in the alleged teacher recruitment irregularities at government-sponsored and-aided schools.

Crores of rupees in cash along with other valuable items were allegedly recovered from the residence of Mukherjee.

PTI could not independently verify the information. Chatterjee was the education minister when the school jobs scam occurred. Both have been remanded to the custody of the central agency by a special ED court till August 3.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)