The Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out simultaneous raids at 10 locations in and around Kolkata on Friday morning, including the office of West Bengal Fire Services Minister Sujit Bose.
The operations are part of investigations into two separate money laundering cases linked to the multi-crore municipality recruitment scam and bank loan forgery.
According to ED sources, the raids began early in the morning and are ongoing at several high-profile locations in and around the city.
Minister Sujit Bose’s Office Under ED Scanner
One of the key locations under ED surveillance is Sujit Bose’s office in Salt Lake. A large team of ED officials, guarded by Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel, entered the premises to conduct searches in connection with irregularities in municipal job recruitment.
This is not the first time Bose’s premises have been searched. Earlier in January 2024, the ED seized several incriminating documents and the minister’s mobile phone during a similar raid.
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“The ongoing searches are part of a larger investigation into recruitment scams that go beyond school appointments,” said an ED source.
Multiple Locations Targeted Across Kolkata
Apart from Bose’s office, ED teams also targeted addresses in New Alipore, Sarat Bose Road, and Nagerbajar. Among them is the residence of a Calcutta High Court advocate, believed to be linked to financial transactions under investigation.
Each ED team is being escorted by CAPF to ensure security and prevent any law-and-order disturbances during the operation.
Recruitment Scam Under Wider Investigation
The CBI has also been conducting a parallel probe in the municipality job recruitment scam. According to sources, the agency has initiated the process of filing a new charge sheet, which is expected to name influential individuals.
CBI officials said a politically connected person’s son has already been questioned in the matter, though his identity remains undisclosed.
The case stems from a Calcutta High Court directive, which allowed the CBI and ED to expand their investigations beyond the school recruitment scam to include irregularities in municipal appointments across the state.
External Reactions and Political Undercurrents
The raids have triggered intense political chatter in the state, with opposition leaders calling for greater accountability. ED officials, however, maintained that the operations are purely investigation-driven and evidence-based.
