BJP claim Mamata Banerjee seen with model arrested by ED in connection with the school jobs scam

West Bengal CM and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee addresses supporters and workers during Martyr's Day rally in Kolkata on July 21, 2022. Credit: IANS Photo

The BJP on Saturday shared a video in which Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was seen interacting with model Arpita Mukherjee, from whose apartment Rs 21 crore in cash was allegedly found by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the school jobs scam.

Mukherjee was arrested along with state industry minister Partha Chatterjee by the ED in the case.

In the video, which could not be verified by PTI, the chief minister was seen asking Mukherjee if she works in the Odia film industry, and if she can speak Odia well.

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In the video, Nakatala Udayan Sangha's name can be seen in the background of the dais, which was being shared by the chief minister, Mukherjee and Chatterjee. This club in Garia organises one of the big-budget community Durga Pujas of Kolkata, and Chatterjee is its chief patron.

"Not too long ago, Mamata Banerjee, from an open platform, praised Partha Chaterjee's close aide, from whose residential premise, ED seized a small sum of Rs 20 crore. Mamata knew of her and the "good work" she was doing. Make no mistake, Partha wasn't scamming on his own accord," BJP leader Amit Malviya tweeted along with the 25-second clip.

TMC said that Banerjee is the chief minister of West Bengal and she has to interact with a lot of people, but that doesn't prove anything.

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"The allegations are baseless and politically motivated. Just sharing the dais doesn't mean anything. Several BJP leaders have been seen sharing dais with fugitives Mehul Choksi and Nirav Modi. Does that mean that BJP leaders, too, are at fault? They should stop making such baseless allegations," TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said.

Mukherjee, a model and actress, has also featured in various advertisements Naktala Udayan Sangha's Durga Puja.

ED has said that it found Rs 21 crore in cash at the apartment of Mukherjee during its raid in connection with the irregularities in the recruitment drives conducted by the School Service Commission (SSC) when Chatterjee was the education minister.