KOLKATA: A day after being axed from the state cabinet and removed from party hierarchy, suspended Trinamool Congress heavyweight Partha Chatterjee first time spoke out on the issue of alleged recruitment scam in schools saying he was a victim of conspiracy. While being taken to ESI Hospital, Joka, for medical check-up by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Chatterjee said, "I am a victim of conspiracy". He, however, did not say who hatched the conspiracy.
Chatterjee’s close aide Arpita Mukherjee, from whose apartments Rs 49.8 crore in cash and jewellery was recovered, broke down into tears while being taken for medical check-up.
Referring to Chatterjee’s claim, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said, "Chatterjee should have claimed his innocence much before as he got enough chance in front of media to explain his role in the alleged recruitment scam. But he did not. His today’s claim came a day after the party and the chief minister took action against him. He has all legal doors open in front of him to prove his allegation."
BJP’s national vice-president Dilip Ghosh said he preferred to keep silence after being arrested. "Now he is claiming to be a victim of conspiracy. Now you should disclose who are behind the conspiracy. We also want to know it," he said.
The ED started questioning both Chatterjee and Arpita placing the list of properties, movable and immovable, in front of the two accused. "They are being asked to explain the source of money behind the properties," said an ED official.
Four vehicles of Arpita are also ED’s scanner which were parked at the housing complex in south Kolkata where the central agency conducted overnight raids last week and recovered cash Rs 21.9 crore, jewellery worth Rs 74 lakh and foreign currencies worth Rs 54 lakh. "Presently, two of the vehicles, an Audi and a Honda City, are not there. We are looking for the whereabouts the vehicles," said an ED official.