ED arrests former Bengal minister Sujit Bose in PMLA-linked recruitment probe

Former West Bengal minister and Trinamool Congress leader Sujit Bose was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday in connection with a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act linked to the alleged municipality recruitment scam, officials said.

The arrest came after Bose was questioned for several hours at the ED’s CGO Complex office in Salt Lake, according to PTI.

Not the first summon

Bose had already appeared before the agency earlier in the month.

He reached the ED office on May 1, accompanied by his son Samudra Bose, and was questioned for nearly nine hours in connection with alleged recruitment irregularities at the South Dum Dum municipality.

This was not the first time Bose had been summoned in the case. He had earlier moved the Calcutta High Court seeking exemption from appearance during the election period.

ED alleges incriminating documents found

The probe has focused on alleged irregularities in municipal appointments and on properties and businesses linked to Bose and his son.

ED had searched establishments owned by Bose and Samudra Bose. Investigators said they recovered incriminating documents during those searches.

Earlier PTI reports also noted that Bose had been questioned after repeated summons in the case, which the agency has described as part of its wider investigation into alleged civic body recruitment irregularities in West Bengal.

A new twist in an old tale

Bose’s arrest adds a fresh twist to a long-running investigation that has already drawn in multiple summonses and search operations.

The ED has not publicly detailed further charges beyond the money-laundering case linked to the alleged recruitment scam.