Partha Chatterjee called Mamata Banerjee four times after arrest: cops
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New Delhi: West Bengal Commerce and Industries Department Minister Partha Chatterjee who was arrested on money-laundering charges chose TMC chief Mamata Banerjee for his phone call from jail.
His arrest memo says the first call was made at 2.31 am. The next calls were at 2.33 am, 3.37 am, and 9.35 am. All four times, his calls went unanswered. The former Education Minister of Bengal was arrested on Saturday at around 1.55 am, reported NDTV.
Anyone arrested is allowed to make a phone call to a relative or friend to inform them about their arrest.
The 70-year-old politician was among Mamata Banerjee's top aides. He is also the party's Secretary General.
As the Chief Minister did not answer his phone calls, many speculate that he is being ghosted. The Trinamool Congress has denied the allegation. Transport Minister and Mayor of Kolkata Firhad Hakim said there was "no question" of the arrested minister calling the party chief as his phone is with the Enforcement Directorate.
The party leadership has made clear that it will take disciplinary action against Chatterjee if he is found guilty.
Chatterjee is arrested in a case linked to a school jobs scam and appointment of teaching staff by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education in government-sponsored and aided schools. The investigation agency recovered around Rs 20-21 crore from the house of his close aide Arpita Mukherjee.
The ED alleges that the money found in Mukherjee's house is "proceeds of the crime" and the minister was in contact with her. Mukherjee has also been remanded to one-day custody and will be produced in the PMLA court on Monday.
Soon after ED took him in custody, Chatterjee complained of uneasiness and was taken to the state-run SSKM hospital in Kolkata. The ED approached the court saying he should be moved to a different hospital because he is known to have influence in the city. The Calcutta High Court ordered that he be moved to AIIMS-Bhubaneswar. The transfer took place this morning.