Who is Arpita Mukherjee? Partha Chatterjee's aide arrested with Rs 20 crore cash stash

In a massive recovery in connection with the SSC recruitment scam, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday, July 22, seized Rs 20 crore in cash from the residence of a close associate of TMC minister Partha Chatterjee. The money in denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 2000 bills was nabbed from the residential premises of Arpita Mukherjee. 

According to the ED, "The search team is taking the assistance of bank officials for the counting of notes through cash counting machines. A total of more than 20 mobile phones have also been recovered from the premises of Ms. Arpita Mukherjee, the purpose and use of which are being ascertained. Further, a number of other incriminating documents, records, details of dubious companies, electronic devices, foreign currency and gold has also been recovered from the various premises of the persons linked to the scam."

The massive cash stash with Arpita Mukherjee is suspected to be proceeds of crime in connection with the SSC recruitment scam, sources have reported. On Saturday, she was arrested by the investigative agency. Here is all you need to know about the West Bengal Minister's controversial aide.

Who is Arpita Mukherjee?

A former actress who has worked in Bengali, Odia, and Tamil films, Arpita Mukherjee, has been described as a 'close associate' of Partha Chatterjee. Her Facebook bio reads, “A multi-talented versatile actor, having worked in several films in Tollywood.” She acted in Bengali movies alongside superstars Prosenjit Chatterjee in ‘Mama Bhagne’(2009) and Jeet in ‘Partner’ (2008).

Mukherjee is said to have also been associated with a famous Durga Puja of South Kolkata and featured in the advertisements of the related committee called the 'Naktala Udayan Sangha' in 2019 and 2020. In 2019, she was captured with West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, and TMC Minister Partha Chatterjee at his Naktala Udayan Sangha, which is one of the biggest Durga Puja committees in Kolkata.

Partha Chatterjee arrested

The Enforcement Directorate also arrested Partha Chatterjee in connection with the SSC recruitment scam on Saturday. Re-elected from the Behala Paschim seat in the 2021 Assembly polls, he currently holds the portfolios of Higher Education, School Education, and Parliamentary Affairs in the Mamata Banerjee-led Cabinet. Officials of the central agency were conducting raids at his residence for over 26 hours. 

While the CBI had been looking into the alleged irregularities in the recruitment of non-teaching staff (Group C & D), assistant teachers (Class IX-XII), and primary school teachers, the ED is probing the money laundering aspect. Partha Chatterjee was the Education Minister when this scam was allegedly pulled off. He has already been interrogated by the CBI on April 26 and May 18.