Bengal government getting ready for its own enquiry on recruitment scam in municipalities

Kolkata : The West Bengal government might start its own enquiry in the purported scam related to staff recruitment in different municipalities which has surfaced following a revelation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) during its investigation on the multi-crore scam teaching and non-teaching staff recruitment scam.

State Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim on Wednesday said that he has asked his department officials to closely monitor and examine the information that is evolving in the matter.

“Everything is being reviewed. I have directed the department officials to keep all the related papers and documents in the matter. The court is yet to give us any specific order on this count. So we will not start any suo motu investigation in the matter. It is to be seen whether really there had been any irregularity in the matter,” he said.

During the course of raid and search operations in the last weekend at the residence of private real estate promoter Ayan Shil in connection with the teachers recruitment scam, the ED sleuths recovered a number of crucial documents relating to recruitment of staff in different municipalities of the state and indicating massive irregularities in the process.

The ED counsel also made a detailed submission at a special court of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Kolkata on Monday. Shil is currently in ED custody.

The names of the municipalities that have surfaced on this count include North Dum Dum, South Dum Dum, Baranagar, Kamarhati, Panihati and Halisahar in South 24 Parganas and Diamond Harbour in South 24 Parganas. ED sources said that their sleuths have also recovered some incriminating documents relating to financial involvement behind ensuring the jobs in these municipalities. The recruitments were both in Group- C and Group- D categories.