The Enforcement Directorate (ED), whose sleuths were the first to reveal the massive recruitment irregularities in different municipalities in West Bengal, has submitted a preliminary report to Calcutta High Court giving estimates of proceeds involved in the scam.
In the report, sources said, the estimated financial involvement in the scam that is the proceeds collected through illegal recruitments is around Rs 200 crore.
The ED has maintained that during the course of raid and search operations at the residence of private real estate promoter Ayan Shil in connection with the multi- crore teachers' recruitment scam, it came to know of the parallel scam in the municipalities.
In its report submitted to the court, the ED maintained that they have derived at the estimated scam amount to be around Rs 200 crore from the confessions made by Shil in face of interrogation on this count as well as from the contents of different paper and digital documents recovered from his residence.
The central probe body has also named a number of municipalities where the purported scam had taken place and the majority of these urban civic bodies are from the North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas districts.
Without naming anyone, the report mentioned about involvement of influential persons from the political and bureaucracy circles behind the scam, the sources said.
On Friday, the Calcutta High Court's single-judge bench of Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct a separate probe on the municipalities recruitment scam.
While passing this direction, Justice Gangopadhyay said that, if necessary, the central agency can start its investigation by filing a separate FIR.
He also directed the CBI to submit a preliminary report in this matter on April 28.
"Also inform the court the number of additional investigating officers you need for this new line of probe," Justice Gangopadhay told the CBI.
Tripura to have Nicco park-model modern recreational park at Jirania: Tourism Minister
The state tourism minister Sushanta Chowdhury on Friday chaired a meeting at Jirania in West Tripura district and said that responding to the proposal of the Tripura government, the Centre has approved establishment of Nicco park-model modern recreational park at Sachindranagar in Jirania subdivision.
PM Modi emphasising on development of North East region: Union MoS Dr. L. Murugan
The Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and parliamentary Affairs Dr. L. Murugan on Friday claimed that the Northeastern states including the states of Tripura is moving in parallel with the rest of the country in terms of development.
State govt integrates AI tools to modernize administration
In a decisive move to modernize public administration, the Tripura government has begun integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into its governance framework, aiming to enhance transparency, efficiency, and citizen service delivery.
MoS Dr. L Murugan leads Tiranga Yatra in Belonia, says Operation Sindoor a success
Union Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, Dr. L Murugan, Friday led a Tiranga Yatra in Belonia under South District of Tripura to mark the success of Operation Sindoor and express solidarity with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian Armed Forces.
India in no hurry to review suspension of Indus Waters Treaty: MoJS
The Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) is in no hurry to dilute the decision to keep the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance, a stand taken by the Centre as part of tough measures announced against Pakistan after the Pahalgam attack, a top official said on Friday.
Pak plans to give Rs 14 crore to Masood Azhar from public funds: Rajnath Singh
Addressing troops at a military base in Gujarat's Bhuj, Rajnath Singh claimed that the Pakistan government intended to give Rs 14 crore to Masood Azhar, the UN-designated terrorist and chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).
India's GDP growth in Q4 of 2024-25 expected at 6.8-7 per cent: Report
The Indian economy is expected to grow at 6.8-7 per cent in the fourth quarter of the financial year 2024-25, driven by the agriculture sector, according to a Bank of Baroda report released on Friday.
BJP, Congress welcome govt's move to send multi-party MP delegations abroad on Pahalgam attack
The Narendra Modi-led government's planned diplomatic initiative of sending multi-party MP delegations to major world capitals to expose Pakistan’s role in the recent Pahalgam terror attack and to rally global support against cross-border terrorism has won support from both the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress.