Abhishek Banerjee reaches ED office for questioning amid teachers’ scam probe

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee reached the Enforcement Directorate office in Kolkata after being summoned in the alleged multi-crore primary teachers’ recruitment scam case.

The ED is probing suspected financial irregularities and procedural violations in recruitment processes for primary teachers in West Bengal, part of a wider investigation into alleged corruption in school hiring.

Banerjee’s appearance comes after he was issued a summons earlier this month, directing him to join the ongoing investigation.

Background: widening recruitment scam probe

The case is linked to allegations of irregularities in the West Bengal Central School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment process, which includes appointments for teaching posts across Classes IX to XII as well as primary education.

The Enforcement Directorate has been investigating suspected money laundering linked to alleged illegal appointments made in exchange for monetary consideration.

Earlier developments in the case include the attachment of immovable properties worth approximately ₹57.78 crore by the ED’s Kolkata zonal office under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

The agency has also stated that properties worth around ₹154 crore have been seized in connection with the primary teachers’ recruitment scam investigation.

Previous arrests and major findings

The probe has already seen major action in earlier phases.

Former West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee was arrested in July 2022 after the recovery of large amounts of cash and gold jewellery during raids linked to the cash-for-jobs scandal.

The investigation has also uncovered allegations that thousands of candidates were appointed illegally to teaching and non-teaching posts in state-run and state-aided schools.

In a significant development, the Supreme Court, in its April 3, 2025 judgment, quashed the appointments of more than 25,000 teachers and non-teaching staff, stating that the recruitment process was “vitiated and tainted”.

The court’s ruling further strengthened the legal scrutiny surrounding the recruitment process and intensified ongoing investigations by central agencies.

Parallel investigations by ED and CBI

The Enforcement Directorate has registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), while the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has also filed cases under sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Both agencies are continuing parallel investigations into alleged corruption, recruitment manipulation and financial irregularities.

The case remains one of the most closely watched political and legal probes in West Bengal, involving senior political figures and allegations of systemic irregularities in public recruitment.

Banerjee’s questioning marks another key stage in the ongoing investigation, which continues to unfold alongside legal challenges and political controversy in the state.