The Enforcement Directorate on Monday arrested TMC MLA Jiban Krishna Saha as he was trying to flee while the ED was carrying out raids at his residence. The arrest comes after his alleged involvement in the into the “irregularities” in teacher and staff recruitment in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district.
TMC MLA caught while trying to flee
According to PTI, Saha was attempting to run when he learned about the raid. He tried to escape by climbing over the boundary wall of his house. He was then chased by the ED officers and caught in a nearby field.
At the same time, searches were also carried out at the house of his personal assistant in Birbhum. The MLA had thrown his mobile phone into a pond near his home to destroy possible evidence, but officials recovered two phones from the water, which will now be sent for forensic tests. Saha, as per PTI report, is currently being interrogated.
Why was ED conducting raids at TMC MLA Saha’s residence?
The raid was conducted based on information about a money transaction by a man from Birbhum in connection with the alleged teacher recruitment scam. This man led the ED team to the MLA’s house on Monday morning.
Saha’s wife was also interrogated in connection with the case. The CBI had also arrested him in April 2023 but he was later granted bail in May this year. While the CBI is investigating the criminal side of the case, the ED is focusing on the money laundering angle.
Earlier, the ED had arrested former West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee, his close associate Arpita Mukherjee, TMC MLA and former president of the WB Board of Primary Education Manik Bhattacharya, along with a few others in the same case. After Chatterjee’s arrest, the TMC suspended him from the party. So far, the ED has filed four charge sheets in this matter.