Were you sleeping so far, asks Mamata after ED summons 2 Cabinet ministers

Kolkata: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned two Trinamool Congress leaders and outgoing ministers—Sujit Bose and Rathin Ghosh—in connection with the municipal recruitment corruption case.

Bose and Ghosh have been asked to appear before ED officials on April 6 and April 8, respectively.

Meanwhile, TMC chairperson Mamata Banerjee reacted to the summons while addressing an election rally in North Dinajpur district on Friday afternoon. “Elections are around the corner and the agencies have started summoning one TMC candidate after another. What were you doing all these years? Were you sleeping? Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?” Banerjee said.

According to sources, the agency had earlier summoned Debasish Kumar, the Trinamool Congress candidate from Rashbehari and a Member-Mayor-in-Council (Parks & Squares) at the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, in connection with an alleged illegal land-grabbing and investment fraud case. Kumar appeared before ED officials on Monday following the summons and was again asked to appear on Friday, which he complied with.

No immediate reaction was available from any of the leaders. However, the summons have triggered a political controversy, coming just weeks ahead of the elections when the candidates are engaged in campaigning. While Kumar did not seek time and appeared before the agency as directed, it remains unclear whether Bose and Ghosh will comply with the summons or seek additional time.

The municipal recruitment scam came to light during a search operation at the residence and office of promoter Ayan Shil, who was allegedly also linked to the teacher recruitment scam. While the ED is probing the case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has launched a parallel investigation.