Supreme Court Dismisses TMC Leader Manik Bhattacharya's Plea Challenging ED Arrest In PMLA Case Over Teacher Recruitment Scam

The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed the plea filed by Manik Bhattacharya, former Chairman of the West Bengal Board of Primary Education and Trinamool Congress Leader, assailing his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in money laundering matter regarding the teacher's appointment scam.

The bench comprising Justices Aniruddha Bose and Vikram Nath also refused a plea to allow Manik Bhattacharya to meet his counsels and asked that this application should be made before the appropriate court.

The Court had reserved the order on 18th October 2022 after hearing the submissions of both the parties. Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi appearing for Bhattacharya, argued that the court had granted protection to Bhattacharya in the case of CBI.He also apprised the court of the fact that Bhattacharya had been cooperating with the investigation. Rohatgi pointed out that the remand application filed in Manik Bhattacharya's matter is being mixed with that of Partha Chatterji and Arpita Mukherjee. He had further stated that not a penny was recovered from Bhattacharya but it was still stated that huge amounts of sum were recovered.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appearing for Enforcement Directorate, opposed the arguments of the petitioners stating that it is an independent investigation by independent agency. He also pointed out that high-level officials are involved in the matter.

Manik Bhattacharya was arrested on October 10, 2022 in the matter regarding the money laundering matter in the teacher's appointment scam. Partha Chatterjee, then then Education Minister of West Bengal and Arpita Mukherjee were arrested in July of 2022.

Yesterday, the Court had stayed the Calcutta High Court order which removed him as the President of the WBBPE but refused to stay the CBI investigation ordered by the HC.

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