The Special PMLA Court in Kolkata on Thursday remanded former state fire minister Sujit Bose to judicial custody until June 4, after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) opposed his bail plea, stating that it may seek his custody again for further questioning.
CBI Opposes Bail Citing Lack of Cooperation
Opposing the bail application, the CBI referred to the statement of Pachu Roy, former chairman of the South Dum Dum Municipality. According to the agency, Roy had objected to the outsourcing of recruitment to external agencies in the municipality, as he believed the move would compromise transparency in the hiring process.
The agency informed the court that further investigation was underway and argued that Bose had not fully cooperated with the probe. The CBI also contended that granting him bail at this stage could lead to destruction of evidence and influence the investigation.
Background of the Case
Sujit Bose, a prominent leader of the Trinamool Congress, was arrested in connection with an alleged recruitment scam in the state's fire services department. The CBI has been probing irregularities in the hiring process, including the involvement of middlemen and the use of unauthorized recruitment agencies.
The court's decision to remand Bose to judicial custody underscores the seriousness of the allegations and the need for continued investigation. The CBI's concerns about evidence tampering and lack of cooperation from the accused have been taken into account by the court.
Bose's legal team is expected to challenge the remand order in a higher court. Meanwhile, the CBI continues its investigation into the larger recruitment scam, which has implicated several former and current officials of the state government.
