Kolkata: A single judge bench of Calcutta High Court on Sunday evening directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to shift West Bengal Commerce and Industry Minister Partha Chatterjee, who was arrested by the agency on Saturday in connection with the multi-crore teacher recruitment scam, to AIIMS Bhubaneswar for medical examination purpose.
The bench of Justice Bibek Chaudhuri ordered that Chatterjee be flown to Bhubaneswar in an air-ambulance on Monday morning for medical check-up and a report should be submitted at his bench by 3 pm on Monday itself.
Chaudhuri’s direction came on a petition filed by the ED challenging an order from a lower court that allowed Chatterjee to be treated at the state-run SSKM Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.
While passing the order, Chaudhuri observed that there have been instances wherein influential ministers of the state government had taken ‘shelter’ at SSKM to avoid questioning by central agencies.
The bench, however, allowed Chatterjee’s counsel and a medical practitioner from SSKM to accompany the ED team which will take Chatterjee to Bhubaneswar.
Chatterjee and his close aide Arpita Mukherjee were supposed to be produced at a special PMLA court for hearing on Monday.
On this count, the high court bench directed the ED to ensure that Chatterjee is produced before the PMLA court virtually from Bhubaneswar.
Meanwhile, Chatterjee’s counsel has approached a division bench of the Calcutta High Court against the decision of the single judge bench.
#WATCH | The ambulance, carrying West Bengal Minister and former Education Minister of the state Partha Chatterjee, arrives at Kolkata airport.
He is being shifted to AIIMS, Bhubaneswar by air ambulance today. pic.twitter.com/azWJKv1KIX
— ANI (@ANI) July 25, 2022
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