The Enforcement Directorate, which launched a probe into alleged money laundering in the recruitment of teachers and non-teaching staff for state-aided schools, on Saturday arrested West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee.
The Trinamool Congress leader was arrested under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering (PMLA) Act. He was charged after being questioned by ED officials at his Kolkata home for over 26 hours over two days.
Mr Chatterjee was arrested after the agency recovered Rs 20 crore in cash from the house of a close associate of the minister, Arpita Mukherjee, on Friday night. The officials also detained the lady and are currently investigating her.
It is believed that dealings worth crores of rupees were carried out to appoint teachers recruited through the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC).