Mamata Banerjee says 'mistakes happen' amid Partha Chatterjee's involvement in SSC scam

As West Bengal Minister Partha Chatterjee continues to be in the Enforcement Directorate's custody in connection with the recruitment scam, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee without naming anyone said, 'mistakes happen'. Addressing a public gathering, the Trinamool Congress supremo further said that if found guilty, those who committed the mistake 'should be subjected to punishment'.

'Agencies should not be used to malign images of political parties' 

The ED conducted search operations in 13 premises across West Bengal, including the residence of Chatterjee, and his aide Arpita Mukherjee. From Chatterjee, incriminating documents related to the appointment of group C & D staff, like the admit cards of the candidates, summary of final results, intimation letter for verification of testimonials and personality among others, were recovered. From Mukherjee, cash amounting to more than Rs 20 crore, purportedly proceeds of crime, were recovered.

Concluding that the documents as well as stashes of cash recovered make the involvement of Chatterjee and Mukherjee in the scam clear, both were arrested by ED on July 23. Initially sent to 2-day and 1-day custody respectively, the same was extended till August 3 after the agency claimed that there were links.

"I don’t have problems with the functioning of any agency, but it should not be used to malign political parties," Banerjee said while addressing the gathering. 

'BJP won't come in West Bengal'

In the 2021 Assembly Elections in West Bengal, after exuding hope of winning more than 200 seats, the Bharatiya Janata Party had to settle for only 71 seats as 213 seats were won by the TMC in the 294-member House, marking the return of Banerjee's regime. 

Claiming that the agencies were used by the BJP in Maharashtra, and are still being used in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh to usurp the Opposition government from power by putting the Minister behind the bars, Banerjee said, "You come to Bengal...It is not so easy to do that here...For here, you will have to fight the Royal Bengal Tiger. "