New Delhi, Dec 4 (UNI) The Supreme Court has reserved its decision on the bail plea of former Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Partha Chatterjee in the money laundering case linked to the West Bengal school recruitment scam.
A bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan firmly rejected Chatterjee’s claim for parity with other former ministers who have been granted bail in similar cases.
“You were the minister, the others are accused because of you,” the Court observed, emphasizing that Chatterjee’s release must not hinder a fair investigation or trial.
The Court questioned whether Chatterjee’s continued imprisonment as an undertrial was justified, stating that “imprisonment cannot be forever” and highlighting the need to balance the accused’s rights with the integrity of the investigation.
The bench asked the Enforcement Directorate (ED) if further questioning could be done while Chatterjee remains in judicial custody.
Chatterjee was arrested in July 2022 by the ED following raids at properties linked to his aide, Arpita Mukherjee, where substantial sums of money were recovered. The alleged recruitment irregularities occurred during his tenure as West Bengal’s education minister.
Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Chatterjee, argued that central agencies were unnecessarily implicating him in multiple cases to keep him in custody, while other accused individuals had already secured bail. However, the Court countered that Chatterjee, as a senior minister, held greater accountability.
The ED, represented by Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, opposed bail, pointing to the scale of corruption and its impact on deserving candidates.
The case, which also involves the CBI, remains under investigation, with Chatterjee’s bail plea in a related CBI case pending before Calcutta High Court.
