The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken a significant step in its investigation into the West Bengal staff recruitment scam, provisionally attaching assets worth over ₹163.20 crore. The properties, linked to Prasanna Kumar Roy, his wife Kajal Soni Roy, and their company, Shree Durga Dealcom Private Limited, represent a substantial blow to the alleged network of corruption.
The attached assets include a string of five luxury hotels and resorts, strategically located across West Bengal. These include Chalankita Resort in Shyampur, Howrah; Royal Bengal Resort in Sundarbans; Hotel Mili (Rubina) in Digha; Hotel Murti in Jalpaiguri; and Bamboo Village Resort in Alipurduar. In addition to these properties, the ED has also attached 120 land parcels held in the name of Shree Durga Dealcom Private Limited, 64 land parcels and 12 flats/offices/shops owned by Prasanna Kumar Roy, and 34 land parcels and 17 flats/offices/shops owned by Kajal Soni Roy.
This action by the ED stems from two FIRs filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), alleging illegal appointments for Group ‘C’ and ‘D’ employees. The CBI alleges a criminal conspiracy to favor undeserving candidates, depriving qualified individuals of their rightful opportunities. The agency’s charge sheets reveal that a staggering 3432 appointments were allegedly made illegally – 1125 for Group ‘C’ and 2307 for Group ‘D’ positions.
This latest development underscores the ED’s relentless pursuit of justice in the unfolding saga of West Bengal’s recruitment scams. It is important to note that this is not the first instance of asset attachments by the ED in these cases. Earlier, the agency had attached properties worth ₹230.6 crore in the Assistant Teachers Recruitment Scam and ₹151 crore in the Primary Teachers Recruitment Scam. With the inclusion of the latest attachment, the total value of properties seized by the ED in teacher recruitment scams in West Bengal now stands at ₹544.8 crore.
In a related development, Prasanna Kumar Roy and Santi Prasad Sinha, the then Advisor of WBCSSC, are currently in judicial custody following their arrests in connection with the Assistant Teachers Recruitment Scam. These individuals are suspected to have played key roles in facilitating the alleged illegal appointments.
The investigation into the West Bengal staff recruitment scam continues, with the ED determined to unravel the intricate network of corruption and bring the perpetrators to justice. The scale of the attached assets, coupled with the ongoing investigations, underscores the seriousness of the alleged irregularities and the determination of the authorities to hold those responsible accountable.
