Kolkata, 24 July (H.S.): Archana Mitra, wife of Trinamool Congress MLA Madan Mitra, appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at its CGO Complex office in Kolkata on Friday in connection with the alleged municipal recruitment scam.

Archana Mitra arrived at the ED office around 11:30 a.m., accompanied by her younger son, Shubharup Mitra. She declined to respond to questions from mediapersons and proceeded into the office without making any statement.

The ED has summoned four members of the Mitra family on separate dates as part of its investigation. Earlier this week, Shubharup Mitra was questioned for nearly nine hours, while Madan Mitra's elder son, Swarup Mitra, appeared before the agency on Thursday. The Kamarhati MLA himself has been asked to appear before the ED on July 29.

According to the ED, at least 125 people allegedly secured jobs in Titagarh Municipality in exchange for cash or gold. During the course of the investigation, Madan Mitra's name reportedly surfaced, following which the agency conducted searches at multiple premises linked to him on June 13 and questioned him.

The investigating agency is examining whether any illegal financial transactions took place in exchange for municipal appointments. As part of the probe, Madan Mitra's wife and sons were directed to appear with their bank-related documents.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had also searched Madan Mitra's residence for nearly five hours in October last year in connection with the same case.

Notably, after the ED summoned his wife and two sons last week, Madan Mitra joined the Ritabrata Banerjee faction of the Trinamool Congress and subsequently made public remarks critical of Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee.

Former minister Sujit Bose has already been arrested by the ED in the municipal recruitment scam. The agency has also filed a chargesheet against Bose and his son, Samudra Bose, before a court.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey