The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized ₹49.8 crore along with gold and diamond jewellery from two apartments belonging to Arpita Mukherjee in the past seven days. The first seizure was on Friday when ₹21.9 crore and gold and diamond-encrusted jewellery worth ₹77 lakh were found.
The second was on Wednesday when ₹27.9 crore and gold ornaments and bars worth ₹4.31 crore were found. The Telegraph tried to calculate things Mukherjee could have done with just the cash seized.
Midday meals
She could have bought a day’s school midday meal for ₹9.32 crore (9,32,58,427 to be precise) for children aged between 3 and 10 years.
According to government estimates, one student’s midday meal comprising 100 grams of rice, pulses, potato, salt, green vegetables, egg and soya chunks costs ₹5.34.
Primary schools
Mukherjee could have built around 83 primary school buildings with the money. An official of the primary education department told The Telegraph that building a primary school with four classrooms, a kitchen and a toilet, coupled with the cost of water supply and electricity would need around ₹60 lakh.
Sub-health centres
Mukherjee could have built 71 sub-health centres across West Bengal’s villages with ₹49.8 crore she had. A sub-health centre with facilities of pre-natal and post-natal care, which is the primary source of vitamin tablets and iron tablets, especially for women in rural Bengal, approximately costs ₹70 lakh, said an official of the state health department.
Shelter homes
Mukherjee could have built 33 homes for 1,650 rescued trafficked girls. According to sources in the department of women and child development and social welfare, a home that could accommodate 50 trafficked girls above the age of 18 years costs around ₹1.5 crore.
Sulabh complexes
Mukherjee could have gifted 332 new Sulabh complexes to Kolkata. Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) officials said a Sulabh complex with five urinals for men and women, multiple toilets and electricity supply would cost around ₹15 lakh, depending upon size and location in the KMC area. Or she could have...
Europe tours
Mukherjee could have made 2,490 round trips to Switzerland and France with the money. A Thomas Cook tour operators aid a seven-day round trip to two European countries would cost an individual ₹2 lakh.
Mercedes
Mukherjee, who owns a Honda City, could have bought a fleet of 19 Mercedes-Maybach S-Classes. A Mercedes-Maybach S-Class costs around ₹2.5 crore.