Shantanu Banerjee, Hooghly District Council TMC President, Granted Bail in Education Recruitment Corruption Case

Baby Chakraborty, KalimNews, November 26, 2024, Hooghly : Shantanu Banerjee, the President of the Hooghly District Council's Trinamool Congress (TMC) unit, has been granted bail by the Calcutta High Court in connection with the ongoing education recruitment corruption case. 

Banerjee, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in March 2023, received the bail on Tuesday, following the approval of Justice Shuvra Ghosh. His release, however, is not immediate, as he still faces other serious charges and legal proceedings.

Banerjee, who is accused of allegedly extorting crores of rupees from job seekers through fraudulent recruitment processes, was granted bail on a personal bond of Rs 10 lakh. The case involves claims of large-scale corruption linked to recruitment for government jobs in the state’s education sector. Banerjee, who also serves as the executive officer of the Hooghly District Council, is also accused of illegal sand mining activities along the river, further complicating his legal troubles.

Despite the bail in the ED case, Banerjee will remain in custody for the time being. This is because he has not been granted bail in the separate CBI case, which is also investigating the primary recruitment corruption matter. Sources suggest that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) may seek his custodial interrogation in connection with the recruitment scam, further delaying his release.

Banerjee was initially arrested by the ED on March 10, 2023, after several rounds of questioning. His residence and bungalow were raided by law enforcement in January of the same year, as part of the investigation into the corruption case.

While Banerjee’s legal battles continue, his bail has raised questions about the broader implications for the TMC leadership in Hooghly, especially as the investigation into recruitment-related corruption gains momentum. The case is likely to unfold further, with more developments expected in the coming weeks.