Days after the arrest of former Partha Chatterjee in connection with the SSC scam case, a case of theft was reported at the residence of the former TMC Minister on Wednesday (July 27) night.
The incident took place in Baripur town in the South Parganas district of West Bengal. Reportedly, the thieves broke into Chatterjee’s residence after removing the door lock.
Reminiscent of the scenes from the movie ‘Special 26’, the neighbours of the ex-TMC leader reportedly mistook the thieves as Enforcement Directorate officials who were conducting a midnight raid.
ABP Ananda reported that the residents of the area often referred to the building as ‘Bagan Bari of Partha Chatterjee (Garden/ Summer house of Partha Chatterjee).
Eyewitnesses recounted how the unidentified men took away items in large gunny bags from the residence of Partha Chatterjee. As per reports, the accused also left a gas cylinder in front of the gate of the bungalow.
ABP Ananda reported that the thieves tried to intimidate the neighbours. Neighbour Jamal Ali Mollah informed that he saw 3-4 men come to the building via a car at about 1:30 am in the night.
“I saw three to four men scaling the boundary wall. They abused me and asked me to return to my house,” he emphasised. According to the building’s caretaker Abu Taher Sardar, the owner of the property is Sohini Chatterjee, the daughter of Partha Chatterjee.
He informed that the residence also bore the name plate of Sohini, and that she stayed in the United States. While claiming no knowledge about the theft, he remarked, “Had I known, I would have informed the owner.”
He also alleged that the ex-TMC leader and his wife ad last visited their Baripur residence years ago. On learning about the matter, the police rushed to the crime scene and seized the gas cylinder.
Meanwhile, CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty has alleged that the theft episode was staged to tamper with evidence. He claimed, “It could be a move by Trinamool leaders to remove incriminating documents before the ED reaches there. The government should find out the culprits.”
ABP Ananda reported that the Communist Party workers staged a protest outside the Baripur residence of Partha Chatterjee. The situation escalated when TMC workers too reached the spot, thereby leading to a scuffle.
The Case against Partha Chatterjee
A day after the Enforcement Directorate recovered ₹21 crores in cash, jewellery and foreign currency to the tune of ₹50 lakhs each, the central agency arrested the ex-TMC heavyweight leader on July 23.
On the same day, ED conducted a raid on the properties of West Bengal Minister Partha Chatterjee as part of an investigation in this case.
Two days later, a special court remanded Trinamool Congress (TMC) Minister Partha Chatterjee to Enforcement Directorate custody till August 3 this year.
He had reportedly helped 10 relatives of his bodyguard to secure jobs in different East Medinipur schools using ‘concocted and fabricated papers.’ Following allegations of corruption and impropriety, Partha Chatterjee was ousted from the Trinamool Congress.
Earlier, the TMC Minister was ‘greeted’ with ‘chor chor’ chants outside AIIMS Bhubneshwar. Videos had emerged wherein the crowd gathered outside the hospital could be heard shouting ‘chor chor’ slogans as Partha Chatterjee was being wheeled into the hospital.
Mounds of cash have been found at multiple residences of Arpita Mukherjee, a ‘close friend’ of Partha Chaterjee.
