The Enforcement Directorate’s Kolkata Zonal Office has provisionally attached immovable properties valued at around Rs 57.78 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. These properties are linked to the West Bengal Central School Service Commission assistant teacher recruitment scam involving Trinamool Congress MLA Jiban Krishna Saha and others. The attached properties include residential apartments, villas, and land parcels in various districts of West Bengal.
The ED’s investigation, based on CBI FIRs, focuses on alleged irregularities in the recruitment process by the West Bengal Central School Service Commission. It revealed manipulation in OMR sheets, tampering with personality test scores, and illegal appointments to accommodate undeserving candidates. Prasanna Kumar Roy is identified as the main middleman in the scam, collecting cash from candidates for securing illegal appointments.
Proceeds of crime, totaling hundreds of crores, were allegedly laundered through a complex network of companies and bank accounts to acquire immovable properties. Jiban Krishna Saha, a key accused, was actively involved in handling proceeds of crime collected from candidates. He was arrested by the ED last year for his role in the scam and for attempting to flee during searches at his residence.
The investigation also uncovered properties acquired in the name of Prasanna Kumar Roy’s ex-wife, Nilima Mangal, with funds sourced from illegal recruitment scams. Prasanna Kumar Roy has been arrested in connection with the case, and a prosecution complaint has been filed before a special court for money laundering offenses.
