SSC Scam: Minister Partha Chatterjee reaches Kolkata's CGO complex after ED custody ordered

Kolkata, July 26: West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee, who was taken to AIIMS Bhubaneswar by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday as per the direction given by the Calcutta High Court, has reached the CGO complex in Kolkata on Tuesday as ED custody was ordered for him till August 3.

Notably, Partha Chatterjee and his aide, Arpita Mukherjee, have been sent to Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody till August 3.

"Partha Chatterjee's health is stable. Medical reports have come, and it's fine. A thorough examination of him was done. Though he had some problems, he didn't need to be admitted to the hospital, he's being monitored closely," Dr Tushar Kanti Patra, SSKM Hospital, Kolkata, told ANI.

The ED had prayed for 14 days' custody of Chatterjee, stating that AIIMS, Bhubaneswar has said in a report after medical examination of the minister that no active intervention is required over his health.

Rejecting a bail prayer of the minister, special ED Court judge Jibon Kumar Sadhu at Bankshall court here extended ED custody of the minister and also of Mukherjee till August 3.

The court directed in its order that the two accused persons, who were arrested on July 23, be produced before it again on August 3. Chatterjee was produced before the court on Saturday and remanded to two-day ED custody, while Mukherjee was produced before the court on Sunday and remanded to one-day custody.

The ED prayed for 14 days' custody of Chatterjee claiming that he has been in state-run SSKM Hospital allegedly faking illness and thus the agency could not question him during the two-day remand granted by the CMM in-charge court on Saturday.

The agency also prayed for Mukherjee's custody for 13 days. The Calcutta High court on Sunday directed that Chatterjee be taken to AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, for a medical check-up by specialists of various departments on Monday morning.

The judge directed that medical examination be conducted of both the accused every 48 hours of their detention in ED custody. The court directed the investigating officer not to inflict torture upon the accused persons.

The investigating officer was directed not to subject Mukherjee to custodial interrogation between 9 PM and 6 PM. The high court had on Sunday directed that the minister, who was the education minister when the scam took place, be virtually produced before a special ED court in Kolkata at 4 PM on Monday.