Under Garb Of Illness, Calcutta High Court Says Shift Arrested Bengal Minister Partha Chatterjee To Odisha AIIMS

Partha Chatterjee was arrested on Saturday by the Directorate of Enforcement

Kolkata:

Bengali Minister Partha Chatterjee, arrested in connection with school employment scam, should be taken to All India Institute of Health Sciences tomorrow by air ambulance, Calcutta High Court said. The court also observed that given his “great power and position” as the most senior cabinet minister, it would not be difficult for Mr Chatterjee to “evade questioning”, the judge said.

Partha Chatterjee was arrested by Law Enforcement on Saturday in connection with an alleged money laundering case linked to a teacher recruitment scam. The arrest came after his aide Arpita Mukherjee, who was arrested Rs 20.

Mr. Chatterjee was detained in ED for two days. His lawyers later claimed that he was ill. The 69-year-old man, who has several health problems, complained of feeling uncomfortable, sources said.

After he was admitted to the ICCU of the state-run SSKM Hospital, the Judgment Directorate went to court, allowing Mr. Chatterjee to be admitted to SSKM Hospital. The agency then challenged the order in high court.

In his ruling today, Justice Bibek Chaudhuri said: “Under such circumstances and considering the fact that the defendant is the highest-ranking cabinet minister in the state of West Bengal, with great power and status, then the accused cannot do the help of other political executives to hide under the cover of serious illness and get medical treatment to avoid questioning.If this happens, Lady Justice will cursed by the tears of hundreds of thousands of worthy candidates sacrificing their futures instead of money.”

“Investigative authorities were directed to bring the accused by ambulance to AIIMS, Bhubaneswar in the early morning of 25 July 2022,” the judge ordered.

A team of specialists – from the departments of cardiology, nephrology, respiratory medicine and endocrinology – will examine Mr. Chatterjee. Their reports will be compared with those of AIIMS, the court said.

On Monday, the minister will be brought before a special ED court in Kolkata via virtual mode at 4pm.