ED arrested Prasanna Roy, a relative of Partha Chatterjee, SSC jobs scam
Times of India | 20 February 2024
KOLKATA: Prasanna Roy, one of the middlemen in the SSC jobs for cash probe and a relative of the former education minister Partha Chatterjee, had allegedly mopped up Rs 100 crore from the aspiring candidates, the Enforcement Directorate said. Roy, who was out on bail granted by the Supreme Court in November last year in a CBI case against him, was arrested by the ED on Monday night.
Present at the court, the central investigating agency argued that Roy had collected more than Rs 100 crore from thousands of candidates. He had arranged jobs for nearly 2,081 candidates, of which 1,135 were for classes IX and X at different schools. A total of 946 candidates got a job in classes XI and XII.
Earlier in January the ED officials raided his luxurious bungalow apart from his Balaka Abasan residence and seized three-trunks full of documents. The ED on Tuesday claimed that they have got hold of 492 deeds during the raids. Of the seized deeds, 392 deeds were seized from his office. The properties were purchased between 2016 and 2021 and the value of the property was allegedly lowered during the purchase.
Roy, who has allegedly been linked to more than 90 companies, owns a travel company in Newtown and a hotel nearby. He had also invested in at least two films. He had also invested in a mining and quarrying company. At least two wholesale companies are also listed in his name. Roy was a director in at least 81 companies till 2018. The agency also submitted in the court that nearly 200 bank accounts were used to launder money.
Present at the special PMLA court, Roy’s lawyer Anirban Guha Thakurta submitted that he has more than 50 companies and every transaction through these companies is accounted for. “He has paid income tax to the tune of Rs 10 crore. It shows the volume of business he has. The central investigating agency could not find any cash during searches. The deeds they have found are procured through legal routes and the agency is yet to establish any illegality in that,” Guha Thakurta said.
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