Several Bangladeshis close to Partha Chatterjee identified

Intelligence officials in Bangladesh claimed to have traced several persons to be involved in the money laundering channels used by arrested West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee. 

According to a report of the Anandabazar, the development came after Enforcement Directorate (ED) started investigating Hawala links of West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee and his aide Arpita Mukherjee.

West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee was arrested for committing irregularities in the SSC teacher recruitment. 

His aide Arpita Mukherjee was also arrested after ED recovered unaccounted cash of Rs 21 cr from her home.

ED investigators presume that the money was received through Hawala channels operating from Bangladesh.

The syndicate includes a renowned educationist and a section of leaders of the Awami League.

Sources at the Ministry of Home Affairs said the recovered money wrapped in scotch tape created apprehension in the mind of intelligence that it was meant for Hawala channels.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to visit New Delhi in the first week of September. She is invited by various organisations of Kolkata. Intelligence officials are taking the incident before her India visit seriously.

ED sources said Partha Chatterjee laundered money to Bangladesh through Hawala channels and invested a major portion of the money in lands and houses. He might have sent the money to any other countries.

Two Kolkata-based business organisations are involved in the money laundering of Partha. One of the organisations operates through RMG while the other does this through the education business. 

The two organisations operate business both in India and Bangladesh. This company imports items of some popular RMG brands of Bangladesh and sells those in their outlets. Another organisation is keen to launch engineering and technical colleges and English medium schools in Bangladesh.

The ED has sent a letter to Bangladesh intelligence to investigate the money laundering of Partha Chatterjee who hailed from Cumilla.

Bangladesh officials did not receive the letter as of Friday, but they already stepped into an investigation.