Kolkata: Former Bengal fire services minister Sujit Bose was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday night in connection with the alleged municipality recruitment scam. The arrest came after more than 10 hours of questioning at the CGO Complex. The agency confirmed the arrest, alleging that the former minister had not cooperated with investigators. According to sources, his statements during questioning also contained several inconsistencies.
Details of the Arrest
Bose reached the ED office around 10.30am, and the arrest was made at 9.15pm. His mobile phone was seized, and he was scheduled for a medical examination later in the night. The arrest follows repeated ED summons issued to Bose in the run-up to the assembly election. The Trinamool Congress leader had moved the Calcutta High Court against the summons, and on April 23 the court granted him temporary relief, directing him to appear after the polls. While he appeared before the agency on May 1, Monday marked his first appearance after the election results.
Political Context
Bose suffered his first electoral defeat since 2009 as he locked horns with BJP's Sharadwat Mukherjee in Bidhannagar. The setback was seen as a major blow to the aura of a neta once regarded as one of Trinamool's strongest urban faces.
Background of the Investigation
The municipal recruitment irregularities case dates back to 2023 and forms part of the wider CBI-ED investigation into Bengal's recruitment scam. In October last year, the ED raided Bose's residence, office, and an eatery linked to his family, seizing documents and digital records. His son Samudra and other family members were also summoned, and their statements were recorded.
