NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court granted conditional future bail on Friday to former West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee in a money laundering case linked to the cash-for-job scam. A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan ruled that Chatterjee would be released on February 1, 2025, provided the trial court frames charges before the winter vacation and completes the examination of vulnerable witnesses by mid-January 2025.
The court stipulated that upon release, Chatterjee must refrain from holding any public office, though he may continue as an MLA. The bench said that while suspects cannot be detained indefinitely, the rights of both the accused and victims must be balanced.
On December 4, the court had reserved its decision on his bail plea, remarking, “On the face of it, you appear to be a corrupt individual,” and referencing the significant cash recovered from his premises.
In October, the Supreme Court issued a notice to the ED in response to Chatterjee’s appeal challenging the Calcutta High Court’s April 30 order denying him bail, citing a prima facie case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Chatterjee was arrested for alleged irregularities in recruiting teaching and non-teaching staff in government-sponsored and aided primary schools in West Bengal.
The ED also arrested Chatterjee’s alleged associate, Arpita Mukherjee, during its investigation into the money trail connected to these illegal recruitments. The agency reported seizing Rs 49.80 crore in cash, along with gold bars, jewelry, and documents related to properties and a jointly owned company, from Mukherjee’s flats.