Kolkata: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) prayed Monday for 14 days’ custody of arrested West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee before a special court of the agency. The ED pointed out that AIIMS-Bhubaneswar, after a check-up, has ruled out active health intervention and complications. Earlier in the day, AIIMS after a thorough check up of Chatterjee said that he has some chronic ailments, but does not need hospitalisation.
The agency, which is probing alleged money trail in a school recruitment scam, also pleaded for his ‘close associate’ Arpita Mukherjee’s custody for 13 days. Special Court Judge Jibon Kumar Sadhu reserved order on the prayers.
Also read: No hospitalisation required for Partha Chatterjee: AIIMS tells high court
The ED, in its submission, said that Chatterjee had taken admission in Bengal government-run SSKM hospital ‘faking illness’. So the agency could not question him during the two-day remand granted by a chief metropolitan magistrate Saturday. The Calcutta High Court had Sunday directed that Chatterjee be taken to AIIMS-Bhubaneswar by an air ambulance for a health check-up.
Citing the report of AIIMS-Bhubaneswar, which was submitted to the court, the additional solicitor general stated that Chatterjee’s vital parameters like blood pressure and oxygen saturation level were within limits, and that no active intervention was required. Opposing the prayer of ED, Chatterjee’s lawyer pleaded for his bail.
Mukherjee’s counsel prayed that a short custody be given for her and that her security be ensured in the wake of Sunday’s accident, when a vehicle hit a car of the convoy ferrying her from court to the agency’s CGO complex.