Synopsis
The CBI has once again failed to collect voice samples from Sujay Krishna Bhadra, a key suspect in the West Bengal school job case, due to his medical condition. This incident marks another setback for the investigation as trials commence for numerous accused individuals and entities involved in the scandal.Key Takeaways
- Sujay Krishna Bhadra did not appear in court due to health issues.
- CBI's attempts to collect voice samples have been unsuccessful twice.
- ED has previously collected voice samples from Bhadra.
- 53 individuals and entities are implicated in the case.
- Prominent figures include former Education Minister Partha Chatterjee.
Kolkata, Jan 29 (NationPress) On Wednesday, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) faced another setback in its efforts to secure the voice samples of Sujay Krishna Bhadra, a key suspect in the high-stakes cash-for-school job scandal in West Bengal. Bhadra did not appear at a special court in Kolkata, citing health issues.
Previously, on January 21, officials from the central agency were unable to gather the voice samples due to Bhadra's absence. Following this, the judge scheduled January 29 as the next date for sample collection and mandated Bhadra's presence in court.
However, he once again failed to show up, and instead, a notification was sent from the Presidency Central Correctional Home in South Kolkata, informing the court that Bhadra had been admitted to the jail's medical facility due to his poor health.
Bhadra, who was granted bail in a separate case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), remains incarcerated as he was arrested by the CBI in relation to the same investigation.
Prior to this, the ED had managed to collect Bhadra's voice samples. The trial for the case registered by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) commenced this month, involving 53 accused parties, comprising 29 individuals and 24 corporate entities or trusts, as detailed in the chargesheets submitted by the ED.
Besides Bhadra, other prominent figures implicated include the former West Bengal Education Minister and Trinamool Congress Secretary General Partha Chatterjee, along with his close associate Arpita Mukherjee and son-in-law Kalyanmoy Bhattacharya.
The Babli Chatterjee Memorial Trust, named after Chatterjee's late wife, is also listed as an accused in the ED's charges. Allegations suggest that illicit funds were falsely recorded as donations to this trust, facilitating their diversion.
