Manik Bhattacharya, former president of the West Bengal Primary Education Board, had allegedly helped 325 candidates qualify TET 2014 illegally and received Rs 3.25 crore through intermediaries, the Enforcement Directorate submitted before the Special (CBI-I) Court on Thursday.
Bhattacharya, now a Trinamul Congress MLA, was arrested in October in connection with alleged irregularities in recruitment of teachers for government-aided schools in Bengal.
The ED had earlier submitted that a firm named M/s Acuere Consultancy Services, a proprietorship firm of Bhattacharya’s son Souvik that is involved in management and consultancy services, had allegedly “received a total of Rs 2.64 crore approximately at the rate of Rs 50,000 per institution during the period from October 2018 to April 2019 in the name of services rendered to a total of 530 private institutions offering various courses in Bengal”.
On Thursday, ED’s lawyer Abhijit Bhadra said: “It has been found that the accused had helped at least 325 candidates qualify TET 2014 against gratification of Rs 3.25 crore. The central agency has faced his constant non-cooperation and hence has made a prayer to extend his judicial remand.”
The defence lawyer submitted a bail petition citing the time Bhattacharya has already spent in custody. The court extended Bhattacharya’s remand till December 7.