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The role of a former joint director in the West Bengal Municipal Affairs & Urban Development Department is under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the multi-crore recruitment scam in different municipalities involving real estate promoter Ayan Sil.
The ED counsel on Tuesday informed a special PMLA court that the daughter of the said former joint director is engaged in a partnership business with Abhishek Sil, who is the son of Ayan Sil. ED counsel Phiroze Edulji claimed that the probe agency suspects that the proceeds collected from the recruitment scams in both municipalities as well as state-run schools were diverted through this partnership farm, which also has a petrol pump under its ownership. Edulji told the court that next week, besides Abhishek Sil and his mother Kakoli Sil, another close associate of Ayan Sil, Sweta Chakraborty, will be summoned to the court. During the arguments, Edulji also quoted American politician and statesman Theodore Roosevelt (Jr): "A man who has never gone to school may steal a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad." However, Edulji did not specify as to whom did he refer to as the "educated criminal mind". Moving Sil's bail plea, his counsel said that his client be granted bail under any condition, including daily appearance in the court. However, the ED counsel opposed Sil's bail plea, claiming that the real estate promoter needs to be interrogated further to identify the influential people involved in the scam. After hearing both sides, the court rejected Sil's bail plea and extended his judicial custody till April 25. The court also allowed ED to question Sil at the correctional home where he is presently lodged. --IANS src/arm ( 303 Words) 2023-04-11-19:54:04 (IANS)
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