ED attaches ₹27 cr. more in Bengal job scam, total seizures at ₹636 cr.-OxBig News Network

KOLKATA

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached properties worth ₹27.19 crore in connection with the West Bengal school recruitment scam, taking the total value of attached assets to ₹636 crore.

In an official statement released on June 24 evening, the ED said the attached properties, both movable and immovable, are linked to three tea estates owned by Prasanna Kumar Roy: M/s Samsing Organic Tea Private Limited, M/s Yangtong Organic Tea Private Limited, and M/s Bamandanga Tea Estate Private Limited.

The agency is investigating large-scale irregularities in the recruitment of Group C and D staff through the West Bengal Central School Service Commission (WBSSC), including allegations of illegal appointments, conspiracy, and financial misconduct involving teaching and non-teaching roles.

Earlier, the ED had attached assets worth ₹219.91 crore in the Group C and D recruitment case linked to the WBSSC 2016 panel.

Mr. Roy, a key figure in the scam, and his associate Chandan Mondal, allegedly the primary agent facilitating the collection of money and candidate details, are currently in judicial custody.

The latest attachment adds to earlier seizures in connected cases –₹238.78 crore in the assistant teacher recruitment scam (for classes 9–12), ₹151 crore in the primary teacher recruitment scam. “Together, the cumulative attachments by ED Kolkata in all recruitment-related scams now stand at nearly ₹636.88 crore,” the ED said in a statement.

The scam first came to light in July 2022, following the arrest of former State Education Minister Partha Chatterjee and his aide Arpita Mukherjee. The ED recovered cash, jewellery, and property worth ₹103.10 crore linked to the duo.

So far, dozens of arrests have been made, including government officials, Trinamool Congress leaders, and alleged middlemen involved in the recruitment racket.

The growing outrage around the scam has sparked widespread protests across Kolkata. On Wednesday, the All India Democratic Students Organisation (AIDSO), affiliated with the Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI), staged a protest at the office of the District Inspector of Schools in Kasba. A scuffle broke out between protesters and police during the demonstration.

Meanwhile, non-teaching staff recruited through the controversial WBSSC panel gathered outside Bikash Bhawan, the headquarters of the State Education Department, demanding the immediate publication of lists distinguishing ‘tainted’ from ‘untainted’ employees.

“No corruption charges have been proven against us. The government must clarify this in court, admit its mistake, and reinstate our jobs with dignity. We haven’t received a salary in three months—how are we expected to survive?” said Sujay Sardar, a protest leader from the Group C and D staff, told The Hindu .

Ten protest representatives met with the SSC Chairman on Wednesday evening. Further course of action will be determined after the meeting, Mr. Sardar added.