The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday rejected a bail prayer of former West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee in a money laundering case initiated by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with its probe into money trail in a primary school jobs case.

ED officials had on July 22, 2022, arrested Chatterjee in connection with alleged irregularities in recruitment of teaching and non-teaching staff in West Bengal government-sponsored and aided primary schools.

Justice Tirthankar Ghosh rejected the bail prayer of Chatterjee, who has held several portfolios, including Education from 2011 to 2021, in the West Bengal cabinet.

Chatterjee and his alleged close aide Arpita Mukherjee were arrested by ED in connection with its probe into the money trail in the alleged illegal recruitments.

The ED has claimed to have recovered Rs 49.80 crore in cash, apart from jewellery, gold bars from flats owned by Mukherjee and documents of properties and a company in joint holdings.

The former minister's lawyers prayed for his bail claiming that the investigation has been completed and that he is over 70 years old and suffers from a number of ailments. They stated that he has been in custody for over 21 months.

ED's counsel Phiroze Edulji opposed the prayer stating he is an influential person and is a sitting MLA in the state and may try to influence witnesses in the case.

Following his arrest, Chatterjee had been relieved of his ministerial duties by the Mamata Banerjee government, while the Trinamool Congress had also removed him from all posts he held in the party, including that of its secretary general.

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