After 12-hour interrogation, ED arrests Sujay Krishna Bhadra in Bengal school jobs fraud

In connection with his suspected involvement in the Bengal teachers’ recruitment scam, Sujay Krishna Bhadra, a friend of Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, was detained by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday. The interrogation lasted more than 12 hours. Bhadra, according to the central agency, was not assisting with the investigation.

 

The ED had called Bhadra, also known as ‘Kalighat er kaku,’ to appear for questioning in relation to the recruiting scam. He showed up to the ED office in Kolkata at 11 a.m. on Tuesday in accordance with the notice.

 

Abhishek Banerjee’s parents have executive positions at a private company where Bhadra works as the Chief Cooperating Officer (COO). According to local information, Bhadra and the Banerjee family are close.

 

On May 20, the same day that TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee was being questioned at the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) office over the same issue, the ED conducted a raid at Bhadra’s home in Kolkata’s Behala area.

 

Several private businesses that were either directly or indirectly connected to Bhadra were found to be complicit by the ED during their probe. As a result, the ED called in officers from these companies to question them.

 

Sources claim that the ED extensively recorded and examined the comments made by these officers and also examined the data from Bhadra’s cell phone. This produced important leads connecting Bhadra to the purported recruitment fraud. Bhadra is accused of using these businesses to transform illegal funds into legal assets.

 

The CBI had previously searched Bhadra’s home just four weeks before the ED raid. The CBI then called him in and interrogated him twice.

 

Bhadra made a single appearance at the CBI office for questioning in connection with the recruitment scam after another suspect in the case was questioned and his name was mentioned. Bhadra, who presents himself as a regular guy with no affiliations to any illegal activity, has adamantly denied any role in the hoax.

 

Bhadra allegedly showed a lack of cooperation throughout the interrogation, according to sources within the ED. He allegedly tried to hide the facts, which caused contradictions in his statements.

 

Because of Bhadra’s actions, the investigating officer sent an email to the ED headquarters in Delhi asking for authorization to place him under arrest.