Partha Chatterjee ‘ready’ to give up ‘MLAship’ for bail? ED says Arpita Mukherjee’s food and water must be checked

Partha Chatterjee’s lawyer, while arguing for his bail in the WBSSC scam, submitted before the court that the politician is willing to consider giving up his MLA seat. Speaking about the bribery charges against the former minister, the lawyer said there is no witness claiming Chatterjee asked for money in return for jobs. “Where are the documents,” the lawyer argued, adding he was arrested based on allegations only. Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate has said Arpita Mukherjee is facing a threat to her life and that her food and water should be checked.

His lawyer said Partha Chatterjee isn’t connected with Rs 50 crore found at Arpita Mukherjee’s two houses. He said that Chatterjee not cooperating in the probe cannot be the ground for denial of bail. “If someone is not involved, then how can he accept it?” he was quoted by India Today as saying. 

“He is not an influential person anymore and is also willing to consider giving up his MLAship,” Chatterjee’s lawyer added, per the India Today report. 

The PMLA court has reserved its order on his bail. 

On Friday, ED said the food and water being given to Mukherjee must be checked beforehand as there is a threat to her life. ED’s lawyer cited intelligence inputs. It claimed Partha Chatterjee and Arpita Mukherjee were in a professional partnership and had formed a company. 

Both Chatterjee and Mukherjee have been in ED’s custody since July 23, when Rs 21 crore in cash were allegedly recovered from the latter’s house. The agency found 29 crores in Mukherjee’s other flat later. They also found gold and other expensive items, worth crores, in her two Kolkata flats.