Kolkata, 29 July (H.S.): Trinamool Congress ‘rebel’ MLA and Kamahati legislator Madan Mitra appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at its office in Salt Lake’s CGO Complex on Wednesday in connection with the municipal recruitment case.

Mitra reached the ED office at around 12 noon, a week after the central agency questioned his wife and two sons separately. Speaking to reporters before entering the office, Mitra maintained that he had no involvement in any corruption and said he would answer all questions posed by the agency.

“I am not involved in any corruption. The ED has summoned me and I will answer all its questions,” Mitra said.

The ED had issued notices on July 14 to Mitra’s wife Archana Mitra and his two sons, Shubharup and Swarup, as part of its probe into alleged irregularities in municipal recruitment. The two sons were questioned at the CGO Complex on Wednesday and Thursday last week, while Archana Mitra appeared before the agency on Friday.

Mitra was also questioned by reporters about his recent political shift. However, he declined to comment on the issue.

The former close aide of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had recently distanced himself from the Kalighat TMC camp. On the night after the ED notices were issued to his family members, Mitra visited the residence of ‘rebel’ MLA Sandipan Saha. The following day, he joined the camp led by TMC leader Ritabrata Banerjee and relinquished all positions he held in Kalighat TMC.

Since then, Mitra has repeatedly faced questions over whether his change of camp was linked to the ED investigation. He had earlier said, “Abhishek (Banerjee) is more dangerous than the ED. The main reason for leaving the party is Abhishek.”

On Wednesday, seeing the large gathering of journalists outside the ED office, Mitra remarked, “If all of you question me together like this and injure me, I will not be able to answer anyone’s questions.”

He also declined to comment on the ED’s questioning of his wife and sons and on queries regarding bank documents.

According to the ED, at least 125 people allegedly secured jobs in Titagarh Municipality in exchange for cash or gold. Mitra’s name reportedly surfaced during the investigation into the alleged recruitment scam.

On June 13, the ED conducted searches at multiple premises linked to Mitra and subsequently questioned him. The agency later summoned his wife and two sons.

ED sources said the agency is examining whether illegal financial transactions took place in exchange for municipal jobs and is probing the alleged money trail in the recruitment case.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey