The Santiniketan farmhouse was bought jointly by Partha Chatterjee and Arpita Mukherjee in 2012 from a Kolkata-based Bengali family. The name of the farmhouse is ‘Apa’, believed to be an abbreviation of Arpita and Partha.
Enforcement Directorate officials conducted a raid at a farmhouse in Santiniketan — around 150km from Kolkata — which is believed to be owned jointly by sacked Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee and his close aide Arpita Mukherjee, accused in the teacher recruitment scam.
Here are 10 updates on the case:
1. ED officials confirmed that the plot was jointly purchased by Partha and Arpita in 2012.
2. The mutation was done in 2020 in the name of Arpita Mukherjee.
3. The name of the farmhouse is ‘Apa’ believed to be an abbreviation of Arpita and Partha.
4. Some reports claimed the farmhouse was bought for ₹20 lakh from a Kolkata-based Bengali family in 2012.
5. According to local people, Partha and Arpita were spotted together at the farmhouse quite often.
6. A caretaker used to look after the farmhouse.
7. The ED officials raided the farmhouse for more than seven hours.
8. A senior official said that during the search, officials came across some loose soil in the backyard and check whether something was hidden there.
9. Arpita Mukherjee’s family members used to visit the farmhouse.
10. The farmhouse is one among many of the joint properties of Partha Chatterjee and Arpita Mukherjee. ED officials released that they hold 50% share each in a company named Apa Utility Services and at least four flats are registered in the name of this company.
Their ED custody has been extended till August 5 on Wednesday as the agency is interrogating both of them. Both Partha and Arpita have denied knowledge of the crores of money recovered from Arpita Mukherjee’s flats. While Arpita Mukherjee claimed the money was kept in her flat without her knowledge, Partha Chatterjee said he is a victim of a conspiracy.
(With inputs from Bureau)
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