Arrested Bengal Minister Partha Chatterjee Doesn’t Need Hospitalisation: AIIMS


New Delhi:

West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee, arrested in connection with an alleged school jobs scam, has chronic health issues but does not require hospitalisation, said the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences in Odisha’s Bhubaneswar.

“We have conducted a thorough screening (of Chatterjee). He has some chronic diseases, but does not need immediate hospitalisation,” AIIMS executive director Ashutosh Biswas told reporters.

The Calcutta High Court had on July 24 directed the Enforcement Directorate, which arrested Chatterjee in connection the scam, to take him to the health facility in the neighbouring state by an air ambulance.

The ED has informed the court of Chatterjee’s health and has sought 14-day custody of the Bengal minister.

Partha Chatterjee was arrested on Saturday by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with an alleged money laundering case linked to the teacher recruitment scam. The arrest came after Rs 20 crore was recovered from his aide Arpita Mukherjee, who has also been arrested.

The Enforcement Directorate says the minister was in contact with Ms Mukherjee and that the cash found in her home was “proceeds of crime”.