ED grills TMCP leader Saayoni Ghosh for 11 hours in school jobs scam probe

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday questioned Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) state president Saayoni Ghosh for more than 11 hours in connection with its investigation into the school jobs scam, officials said.

Ghosh had appeared before the ED sleuths at the agency's office in the city during the day. ED sources said Ghosh was questioned about her association with those arrested in the case and also about details of her properties, dealings while purchasing a flat, IT returns, bank account details and investments.

Ghosh, who is also a Bengali actor, while coming out of the ED office, claimed that she cooperated with the central probe agency's officers and will continue doing so.

"I will not be able to tell you what questions I was asked. I have submitted some basic documents. I have cooperated with them and I think they (ED officers) are more or less satisfied. I think they may call me again and I will come again," Ghosh told reporters. The TMCP is the student wing of the Trinamool Congress.

The ED had on Wednesday issued a summons to Ghosh for questioning in connection with its ongoing probe into the alleged irregularities in the school jobs scam. Sources in the ED said that Ghosh's name surfaced multiple times during interrogation of those arrested in connection with its probe.

Earlier this month, the ED had summoned Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee for questioning in connection with the scam.

Former West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee, his close friend Arpita Mukherjee and several senior officials of the education department have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the scam.

Reacting to Ghosh's grilling, senior TMC leader Firhad Hakim said that the summons was issued only to harass the youth leader and it has "no substance in it".