The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday morning started conducting searches at multiple locations in Calcutta and its neighbouring areas in connection with its probe into the teacher recruitment scam in West Bengal, officials said.

A five-member ED team was conducting searches at the residence of a former para-teacher, alleged to be a close associate of arrested former state education minister Partha Chatterjee, at Patharghata Mazar Sharif area in New Town adjoining Calcutta, they said.

Searches were also underway at the house of an accountant in Nagerbazar area in the northern part of the city, the officials said.

ED searches were conducted in Rajarhat area at the residences of some businessmen, teachers, and intermediaries allegedly involved in the scam.

The ongoing raids are part of the ED's probe to track the flow of money in the multi-crore scam.

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