Partha, Arpita sent to ED custody till August 3

MP  |  26 July 2022 | Kolkata: Former Education minister Partha Chatterjee was discharged from AIIMS Bhubaneswar, after a thorough health check-up on Monday. 

In another development, the arrested minister and Arpita Mukherjee have been sent to Enforcement Directorate custody till August 3. 

Meanwhile, Director of AIIMS Bhubaneswar said though Chatterjee is suffering from several chronic illnesses, hospitalisation is not required at this moment. After the check-up, the reports were handed over to the Investigating Officer (IO) of the Enforcement Directorate, Chatterjee's lawyer and the concerned doctor from SSKM Hospital as directed by the Calcutta High Court. 

On Monday morning, the former Education minister was taken to the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport in an ambulance. A green corridor was arranged for obstruction-free movement of the convoy. The ED officials along with Chatterjee's lawyer, Anindya Kishor Raut, and a doctor from SSKM also accompanied the former Education minister as directed by Justice Bibek Chaudhuri. Chatterjee reached the airport at around 8 am. There Airports Authority of India (AAI), Kolkata, had arranged another ambulance to take Chatterjee to the air ambulance as no outside vehicle is allowed on the runway and its adjacent areas. 

But after arriving at the exchange point, Chatterjee did not board the ambulance due to difficulties. Later, Chatterjee was taken on a wheelchair to the bus in which other persons accompanying him were going towards the air ambulance. The air ambulance took off from Kolkata at around 8:40 am and reached Bhubaneswar at around 10:45 am. From there, Chatterjee was rushed to the AIIMS in an ambulance escorted by a police pilot car. 

After reaching the hospital, Chatterjee was taken to a special cabin where his health check-up was done. At around 3 pm, AIIMS Director Asutosh Biswas said: "He has some chronic illnesses. We investigated and the report has been submitted to the High Court. There was not much chest pain. Hospitalisation is not required." 

Meanwhile, the ED officer sent a copy of the report to his counterpart in Kolkata who subsequently submitted the same at the Special PMLA court during the virtual production of Chatterjee and physical production of Arpita Mukherjee. The ED has claimed that Chatterjee is misbehaving with their officials and trying to show his influence. The central agency also appealed that they want to interrogate both Mukherjee and Chatterjee face-to-face at the same time. 

Though the hearing concluded in the evening, the Magistrate kept the order reserved till 10 pm. Later, Chatterjee and Mukherjee have been remanded to ED custody till August 3. Also, the court has directed the investigating agency to provide medical facilities. 

Meanwhile, on Monday, the Calcutta High Court rejected Chatterjee's appeal to expunge a few remarks in the court order. Justice Bibek Chaudhuri had mentioned his observation that the accused persons had collected huge amount of money using corrupted behaviour. He also mentioned that the allegation of not allowing Chatterjee's lawyer was found to be false as reported in the case diary. A few other points for which Chatterjee had appealed for deletion, was later dismissed by the court. 

http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/partha-arpita-sent-to-ed-custody-till-august-3-487250