MLA Jiban Krishna Saha remanded to judicial custody till Sept 12

Kolkata: The special (Enforcement Directorate (ED) court at Bichar Bhavan on Saturday remanded Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Jiban Krishna Saha to judicial custody till September 12.

The legislator of Burdwan was arrested by the ED from his Murshidabad residence on Monday following raids in

connection with the probe in the teachers’ recruitment process.

ED’s counsel, Bhashkar Prasad Banerjee, sought Saha’s judicial custody and pointed out some developments in the probe. According to ED sources, a money trail of over Rs 1 crore has been traced to his account. The sleuths suspect that the money which Saha allegedly gained from the scam had been put into other businesses, including the purchase of potato bonds.

Saha’s counsel, Zakir Hussain, did not apply for bail and claimed cooperation in the probe after summons were issued to his client.

During the court session, Saha’s wife Tagari Saha, and his son were present. Saha started shedding tears hugging his son.

Meanwhile, Saha, who had allegedly threw his mobile phone in the drain at the time the ED conducted raid, at his residence, told reports while entering the court that he did not throw the phone. “I slipped and fell in the mud and the phone slipped. No property has been bought in my aunt’s name. The videos that are circulating are all lies,” he added.

Last Monday, when ED officers reached his residence, he had allegedly tried to escape by jumping from the first floor and scaling the boundary wall of the compound but the ED arrested him.

Saha had been arrested earlier in April 2023 by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on similar charges before being released on bail. While in 2023 the legislator threw his mobile phone into a pond, this time he allegedly threw the device into a drain but it was recovered by ED officials after a thorough search.

Investigators traced multiple companies in his name. In October last year, the ED attached properties worth Rs 163 crore linked to Roy, including hotels, resorts and other firms.

The ED had also conducted a search at the Sainthia, Birbhum residence of his aunt Maya Saha, who is a TMC councillor. The sleuths have also questioned her.