Bengal SSC scam: BJP says Mamata Banerjee had no option but to sack Partha Chatterjee

New Delhi: "Mamata Banerjee had no option but to sack Partha Chatterjee," BJP leader Amit Malviya said on Thursday, minutes after Chatterjee was removed as West Bengal cabinet minister.

Chatterjee was arrested in the Bengal SSC recruitment scam. The decision to sack him was reportedly taken during a cabinet meeting amid mounting demands for the removal of Chatterjee.

Malviya further said sacking Chatterjee from the cabinet is "an admission of crime".

"Mamata Banerjee had no option but to sack Partha Chatterjee amidst mounting evidence. She has done no favour because several irregularities have been reported in the SSC Scam and proceeds of crime uncovered. This is an admission of crime though. Partha still remains TMC's GS (general secretary)," the BJP leader said.

Mamata Banerjee had no option but to sack Partha Chaterjee amidst mounting evidence. She has done no favour because several irregularities have been reported in the SSC Scam and proceeds of crime uncovered. This is an admission of crime though. Partha still remains TMC's GS.

— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) July 28, 2022

Meanwhile, the West Bengal BJP workers took to the street to protest against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, "under whose watch the massive SSC scam unfolded and ruined lives and careers of lakhs of young men and women."

In a tweet earlier in the day, Malviya said both Mamata Banerjee and Partha Chatterjee should resign.

Today, at 1pm, BJP West Bengal will take out a protest march from College Square to Esplanade against Mamata Banerjee, under whose watch the massive SSC scam unfolded and ruined lives and careers of lakhs of young men and women. Partha Chaterjee was just the front. Both must go.

— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) July 28, 2022

As per reports, Mamata Banerjee has taken over the departments that were held by Partha Chatterjee.

"I have removed Partha Chatterjee as a minister. My party takes strict action. There are many planning behind it, but I don't want to go into details," Banerjee said.

Partha Chatterjee and his close associate Arpita Mukherjee were arrested on 23 July.

Earlier in the day, TMC leader Kunal Ghosh sought immediate expulsion of Chatterjee from the ministry and all party posts.

Don't Miss: Bengal SSC Scam: Mamata Banerjee sacks Partha Chatterjee

Chatterjee, secretary-general of the TMC, held the portfolios of commerce and industry, parliamentary affairs, information technology and electronics, and public enterprises and industrial reconstruction in the state cabinet.

Last week, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raid at Arpita Mukherjee's flat in Kolkata and recovered Rs 21 crore in cash, large amount of foreign exchange and gold bars worth Rs 2 crore.

The ED officials also found a diary with around 40 pages of notes that could provide crucial leads in the investigation.

On Wednesday, ED conducted raid at Mukherjee's second flat in Belgharia in Kolkata. The search lasted for about 18-hour and Rs 29 crore in cash and five kilograms of gold jewellery were recovered. The officials left the place with 10 trunks of cash.

Chatterjee is accused of his alleged role in illegal recruitments of teachers and staff in government-run schools when he was the state education minister. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is probing the alleged irregularities in the scam, while the ED is tracking the money trail.

With inputs from agencies

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