Cash-for-job case: Special PMLA court rejects ED’s plea for custody of Bengal minister

Kolkata, Sep 24 (IANS) A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act court in Kolkata on Wednesday rejected the Enforcement Directorate’s plea seeking West Bengal Minister Chandranath Sinha’s custody in connection with the multi-crore cash-for-school-jobs scam case in the state.

The hearing in the matter was concluded on September 20. However, on that day, the judge of the special PMLA court had kept the order reserved and pronounced it on Wednesday.

The ED has sought seven-day custody for Sinha, the Minister for West Bengal Correction Services, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, and Textiles Departments.

On Wednesday, the judge of the special court extended the interim bail granted to Sinha till further court orders.

However, the judge of the special court directed Sinha to appear at the ED office in Kolkata for two more days for interrogation and also to cooperate with the central investigative agency in the matter.

As per the court’s directive, Sinha would have to be present for interrogation at the ED’s office on Thursday and Friday this week.

“I have full faith in the judicial system of the country. I have not done anything wrong,” Sinha told media persons after getting the relief from the special PMLA court on Wednesday afternoon.

On September 6, Sinha surrendered before the same PMLA court in connection with the ED’s probe into the alleged recruitment scam. The court later granted him interim bail on a personal bond of Rs 10,000, with certain conditions attached.

Earlier this month, the ED submitted its sixth supplementary charge sheet to the special court, detailing financial irregularities in the accounts of Sinha and his family members.

The document highlighted a series of large, phased cash deposits made into a joint account held by the minister and his wife, Kuntala Sinha, at a branch of a public sector bank in Kolkata.

According to the sixth supplementary chargesheet, a total of Rs 1.18 crore in cash was deposited into the joint account between January 2016 and November 2019 – identified as the peak period of the alleged school recruitment scam.

–IANS

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