ED arrests TMC MLA Manik Bhattacharya in teachers' recruitment scam
Kolkata (PTI): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested TMC MLA Manik Bhattacharya in the early hours of Tuesday after night-long questioning in connection with the irregularities in the recruitment of primary teachers, officials said.
Bhattacharya, the former chairman of the West Bengal Board of Primary Education, was arrested for allegedly not cooperating with the investigation, they said.
"Mr. Bhattacharya has been arrested for his continued non-cooperating with the investigators during questioning, which began on Monday afternoon. He also tried to misdirect the investigators," an ED officer told PTI.
He is the MLA of Palashipara in Nadia district.
Earlier, the Supreme Court granted Bhattacharya "protection" from being arrested by the CBI, which is also investigating the case.
The ED is tracking the money trail in the scam, while the CBI is looking into the alleged irregularities committed in the recruitment.
It is alleged that several people who fared poorly in the recruitment examinations were hired as teachers in exchange for lakhs of rupees, while the eligible candidates were overlooked.
In July, the ED arrested former West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee in the School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment scam.
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Torres scam amount rises to Rs 18.5 cr; promoters had elaborate gift scheme to lure investors
Mumbai, Jan 9: The promoters of Torres jewellery brand, which is being probed for allegedly running a ponzi scheme, promised cars, flats, gift cards and hampers to attract investors, a Mumbai police official said on Thursday.
Hundreds of investors have alleged that they have been duped and a probe into these allegations is being carried out by the Mumbai police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW).
The EOW team visited the brand's showroom in Dadar West during the day as part of investigations, the official said.
"The probe has found the promoters made a combination of ponzi and multi level marketing (MLM) schemes and had promised returns of 3 to 7 percent per week on investments. They promised lucrative returns to those who would spread the schemes and bring in more investors. While giving stones to investors, the promoters had earmarked gift cards, certificates, hampers and cars for them," he said.
"These items were kept for display in the Torres jewellery brand showroom in Dadar. We have recovered them along with stones. A huge amount of cash was also found and this is being counted," the official added.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Sangramsingh Nishandar, who is leading the probe, said the EOW will take all efforts to protect the interest of investors.
"We have opened a special cell at Shivaji Park police station so that those who invested money in the Dadar showroom can fill a form giving details of the money they put in these schemes as well as returns they received so far. Initially, there were 66 investors who had lodged complaints, and the amount was Rs 13.48 crore. This figure has increased to Rs 18.5 crore and is expected to rise further in the days to come," the DCP informed.
"The EOW has conducted searches at various places in connection with the probe. We have arrested three persons and are questioning them," he added.
Another official said EOW teams carried out raids in Colaba, Dadar and Dombivali and some other places and have confiscated important documents, investment papers as well as cash.
"Among the investors who were duped by the company was vegetable seller Pradeep Kumar Vaishya, who lost around Rs 4 crore in the scam. He had collected money from his kin and friends. Amid the probe, hundreds of new investors have approached police," this official said.
