Kolkata: Bengal minister Chandranath Sinha on Saturday surrendered before an Enforcement Directorate (ED) court in connection with its investigation into alleged irregularities in primary school recruitment.
According to ED sources, Sinha, who is the Minister in Charge of state Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Textiles (MSME & T) department, appeared before the special ED court at Bichar Bhavan in Kolkata on Saturday morning and formally surrendered. Last month, a special court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) had directed him to appear in person and surrender on September 12 in response to ED summons.
The court granted him interim bail on a personal bond of Rs 10,000, refusing ED’s prayer for custody. However, the court made it clear that he will not be allowed to leave his Assembly Constituency at Bolpur in Birbhum district or Kolkata for the time being, as conditions for allowing him bail.
“ I have full faith in the judiciary,” said Sinha.
Sinha’s legal counsel told the media that his client has been cooperating with the investigation agency, and the surrender was made out of respect for the judicial process.
“He must cooperate with the investigation. These conditions must be followed until the hearings related to the case are concluded,” said an ED official.
ED counsel Dhiraj Trivedi said that the Central agency had sought 7-day custody for Sinha. The hearing in this regard will be held on September 16.
ED had launched an investigation against Sinha under PMLA and had recovered Rs 42 lakh from his Bolpur residence in March. The minister skipped two summons for questioning before facing the investigators on August 7, a day after the charge sheet was filed.
Sinha is the second state Cabinet minister to face prosecution in the bribe-for-job case. Former Education minister Partha Chatterjee was arrested in July 2022 and is currently in judicial custody.