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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday conducted search operations at seven premises linked to Trinamool Congress (TMC) legislator and former minister Madan Mitra in Kolkata in connection with an ongoing investigation into the alleged municipality recruitment scam in West Bengal, officials said.
The ED's Kolkata zonal office carried out the search operation early Saturday morning as part of its wider probe into alleged irregularities in recruitment processes across multiple municipalities in the state. The agency suspects large-scale corruption involving the alleged appointment of ineligible candidates in exchange for bribes. ED's preliminary findings based on its ongoing investigation suggest that Mitra is alleged to have received illegal gratification in the form of cash and gold through intermediaries. These payments were reportedly made to facilitate the appointment of candidates who did not meet the required eligibility criteria. The ED believes that middlemen allegedly played a crucial role in facilitating these transactions, acting as a bridge between job aspirants and officials involved in the recruitment process. Investigators have linked the case to multiple municipalities, including the Kamarhati municipality, where a significant number of suspicious appointments are under scrutiny. Officials indicate that Mitra is allegedly connected to more than 125 such illegal recruitments, raising serious concerns about systemic irregularities in local governance bodies. The searches aim to gather documentary evidence, financial records, and digital data that could further establish the alleged money trail and identify other individuals involved in the scam. Officials said that evidence collected during the raids will be crucial in determining the extent of the alleged wrongdoing and the role played by various accused persons. The municipality recruitment scam has already drawn significant political attention in West Bengal, with opposition parties demanding strict action against those involved. Meanwhile, the ED has reiterated its commitment to pursuing the case and ensuring accountability. The ED reiterated that the investigation is ongoing and that further developments are expected as the probe progresses. (ANI)
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