Sujit Bose Under ED Scanner
Fire Minister and Bidhannagar candidate Sujit Bose is under the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) lens for alleged corruption in municipal appointments. The
ED's investigation centers on fund transfers linked to irregularities in recruitments across 123 municipalities and seven municipal corporations in West Bengal, initiated based on a CBI FIR following a Calcutta High Court directive. This probe follows previous summons, raids on his properties, and questioning of his family members. The allegations stem from a 2023 High Court order for the CBI to investigate claims of 1,500 individuals being hired between 2014 and 2018 for monetary gain, with the ED now tracing the financial trail of these alleged recruitments, particularly concerning his tenure as vice-chairman of the South Dum Dum Municipality.
Rathin Ghosh Faces Recruitment Scam Probe
Rathin Ghosh, a TMC heavyweight and candidate for the Madhyamgram Assembly seat, has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the ongoing investigation into the municipal recruitment scam. As the Food and Supplies Minister, Ghosh's involvement is being examined concerning alleged irregularities in recruitments by civic bodies between 2014 and 2018, where approximately 1,500 people are suspected to have been illegally hired for financial benefits. The ED's probe, which included raids at Ghosh's residence and 12 other locations in October 2023, follows a Calcutta High Court directive from April 2023 for the CBI to investigate similar scams. The ED has indicated that individuals involved in other recruitment scams, like Ayan Sil, may also be linked to these municipal irregularities, focusing on the hiring of various positions like clerks, sweepers, and drivers.
Debasish Kumar Linked to Land Grab
Debasish Kumar, the TMC candidate for Rashbehari and a member of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation's (KMC) Mayor-in-Council, is reportedly entangled in a land-grabbing case involving a private construction group and alleged KMC assistance. He has been summoned multiple times by the ED for questioning regarding these allegations. The investigation, sparked by over a dozen FIRs concerning property acquisitions, gained traction after ED raids on businessman Amit Gangopadhyay and his partners. These raids reportedly uncovered documents and digital communications linking Kumar to disputed land parcels. The ED is investigating the nature of Kumar's connection, including whether he received information about these lands and if any financial transactions occurred, aiming to trace any potential money trail.
Manab Kumar Parua and NIA Blast Case
Manab Kumar Parua, a first-time candidate for the Bhagabanpur seat, appeared before the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with a 2022 blast case. The incident, which occurred on December 3, 2022, in Naruabila village, East Midnapore, resulted in the deaths of three individuals allegedly linked to the TMC. The NIA took over the investigation from state police in June 2023 following a Calcutta High Court order. Parua, along with another TMC leader, was named in a supplementary chargesheet filed by the NIA in July 2024, after the agency's team faced an alleged attack by locals while attempting to arrest other TMC workers in April 2024. The NIA's investigation involves allegations of illegal bomb manufacturing and subsequent fatalities.
