After a huge stash of cash was recovered by ED from TMC minister Partha Chatterjee’s close aide Arpita Mukherjee, an actress, several media houses used the images of a different woman of the same name. Following this, Mumbai based singer Arpita Mukherjee has started to receive online hate mistaking her for the Kolkata based woman. Yesterday Kolkata-based Arpita Mukherjee was arrested after cash amounting to Rs 21.20 crore was recovered from her house, which is said to be the proceeds of SSC recruitment during the tenure of Partha Chatterjee as education minister of West Bengal.
On Saturday (July 23), Mumbai based singer Arpita Mukherjee issued a clarification after the issue of mistaken identity. While mistaking her for the actress, online trolls hounded her on social media. The winner of the ‘Golden Voice Hunt’ was thus forced to clarify that she wasn’t the actress arrested by the ED.
In a statement, she said, “I am singer Arpita Mukherjee, I am NOT the Arpita Mukherjee who has been detained by the ED. I have no connection with this case. The lady detained by ED is a Kolkata Tollywood actress.”
I am utterly surprised that people are confusing her with my profile when there is no similarity between us. But therein lies the problem with social media,” she added.
“People do not wait to verify facts before jumping the gun and grabbing an opportunity to malign or troll someone. This post is meant for all such “brilliant” minds,” Arpita Mukherjee concluded in her Facebook post.
The singer posted another comment on Facebook naming some media houses that used her image in reports related to the Bengal scam case.
Addressing Navbharat Times, News18 Bangla, Times Now, ABP News and HT Bangla, she said, “My Pictures have been WRONGLY used and put up on your news channel and YouTube channel to report on the detention and arrest of Kolkata based Tollywood actress Arpita Mukherjee. But I am NOT that Arpita Mukherjee who has been detained by the ED. I am a different person. I am in fact a Bombay based Professional Singer and Media Personality.”
She further added, “Do you seriously not verify facts before putting them up as news items?? Such irresponsible reporting by reputed news channels and portals that you put up pictures of a girl without verifying the identity first?? You defame and malign someone’s reputation with such alacrity and shamelessness?? I am appalled at this low level of journalism and reporting!” She said that she wants “a public acknowledgment of this grave mistake and an apology.” Arpita Mukherjee also said that if the media houses don’t apologise, she will be forced to take appropriate legal recourse.
Online Trolling and a case of mistaken identity
A casual glance at her recent social media posts reveals that people indeed mistook her for the Bengali actress. “Partha Chatterjee rocks (indicating her close ties with the TMC leader),” asked one Pranadev Basu.
“ED,” wrote another user. One Souradeep Sarkar inquired, “You in jail yet?”
The Background of the Case
On Saturday (July 23), the Enforcement Directorate arrested Bengali actress Arpita Mukherjee after the agency recovered over ₹21 crores in cash from her residence.
The name of the actress has cropped up in a scam pertaining to the recruitment of candidates for the West Bengal Primary Education Board and West Bengal School Service Commission, as cash of more than Rs 21 crore and other valuables have been recovered from her house.
ED is carrying out search operations at various premises linked to recruitment scam in the West Bengal School Service Commission and West Bengal Primary Education Board. pic.twitter.com/i4dP2SAeGG
— ED (@dir_ed) July 22, 2022
According to the ED, the massive cash stash is suspected to be proceeds of crime in connection with the SSC recruitment scam. The visuals of Rs 2000 and Rs 500 notes, totalling more than 21 crores, show the scale of the scam. Other than cash and jewellery, ED also found 20 mobile phones at the residence.
