The Supreme Court, on Friday, December 13, granted conditional future bail to former West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee in connection with a money laundering case tied to the cash-for-job scam.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan stated that Chatterjee will be released on February 1, 2025, provided the trial court frames charges before the winter vacation and that vulnerable witnesses are examined by mid-January 2025, reported PTI.
The court further specified that upon release, Chatterjee would be barred from holding any public office but would be allowed to continue as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA).
The bench emphasised the need to balance the rights of the accused and the victims, asserting that a suspect cannot be detained indefinitely.
On December 4, the Supreme Court reserved its verdict on Chatterjee’s bail plea, acknowledging the gravity of the case.
The court noted, "On the face of it, you are a corrupt person. Crores of rupees were recovered from your premises."
In October, the court issued a notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) after Chatterjee appealed against an April 30 order by the Calcutta High Court denying him bail. The court cited a prima facie case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Chatterjee was arrested in connection with alleged irregularities in the recruitment of teaching and non-teaching staff for government-sponsored primary schools in West Bengal. He, along with his alleged close associate Arpita Mukherjee, was apprehended by the ED as part of its investigation into the money trail linked to the illegal recruitment process.
The ED claims to have seized Rs 49.80 crore in cash, along with jewellery, gold bars, and property documents from Mukherjee’s flats, including evidence of joint holdings in a company, PTI added.
