Kolkata: Rs 8 crore in 11 bank accounts of Partha Chatterjee and Arpita on ED radar

KOLKATA: After the cash seizures, around 11 bank accounts — three belonging to Partha Chatterjee and eight to Arpita Mukherjee — have now come under the Enforcement Directorate’s scanner. Around Rs 8 crore is parked in these accounts, Rs 2.5 crore of which has already been put under debit freeze.
ED sources said Chatterjee has five accounts with two nationalised banks and a private sector bank. According to his 2021 Election Commission affidavit, he has nearly Rs 60 lakh in his accounts.

Agency sources said two sets of documents have led them to suspect that Chatterjee was in “close contact” with Arpita Mukherjee for more than a decade. Officials have found several insurance policies that Chatterjee bought with Mukherjee as the nominee or beneficiary. Another set of documents pertains to a purported house procurement in Bolpur in January 2012.

“We are ascertaining the authenticity of the documents. It must be examined first before any claim,” Mukherjee’s lawyer Niladri Bhattacharya said.
Chatterjee’s 2021 affidavit with the Election Commission of India has mention of an LIC policy of Rs 25 lakh. It does not mention anything else.

The Bolpur deed, ED sources said, was signed before the additional district sub-registrar in January 2012 by Mukherjee and Chatterjee. While Mukherjee registered her address as Tower II, Flat 1A, Diamond City South, Chatterjee purportedly kept his Khanpur Road, Naktala address as his own. The duo purchased a two-storied house over 10 cottahs for Rs 20 lakh. The purported deed contains their photographs, thumb impressions and signatures.

According to locals, this property was frequented by the duo over the past several years. A person, who refused to be identified, even claimed that he had seen Chatterjee’s vehicle in this complex.
Chatterjee’s affidavit with the Election Commission in 2016 and 2021 finds mention of his Khanpur flat and a 200 sq ft shop at Netajinagar. There is no mention of his Bolpur property anywhere. ED officers said they will also approach state agencies for the registration deed and mutation details of all the properties — both belonging to Mukherjee and those owned by Chatterjee — for examination.