ED seizes ₹28 crore cash, 5kg gold from Bengal Minister's flat

ED on Wednesday seized around ₹28 crores, over five kilos of gold, and property deeds from the flat of  Arpita Mukherjee, a close aide of West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee. The ED has also arrested both the minister and his aide in connection with a multi-crore recruitment scam in government schools in the state. 

According to the reports, the ED conducted raids at five places on Wednesday, which also includes two flats owned by Mukherjee in Belgharia. “ ₹27.9 crore cash, around five kilos of gold, silver coins, property deeds, and other documents were seized,” said a senior official.

Earlier night, while counting notes till midnight, bank officials were roped in along with four high-efficiency note counting machines. While in the morning the seized items were stacked into ten trunks and were taken in the truck before being taken by the officials. 

On Wednesday the raids were also conducted at Mukherjee’s ancestral home. Officials also raided one home of  Manoj Jain, and it was found that Jain also had a connection with the scam. 

While on July 22, the ED conducted raids at 14 places including the residences of Bengal ministers  Partha Chatterjee and Paresh Adhikari. During the raid the ED seized  ₹21.9 crores in cash, gold worth more than ₹70 lakh, and foreign currency worth more than ₹50 lakh from Mukherjee's flat.