The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested former West Bengal minister and Trinamool Congress leader Sujit Bose in Kolkata after an extended interrogation in a municipal recruitment case that has widened significantly over the past two years. Officials questioned him for nearly 10 hours before placing him under arrest late in the evening.
Bose arrived at the ED office around 10:30 am accompanied by his son. Investigators questioned him throughout the day, focusing on alleged irregularities linked to recruitments in South Dum Dum Municipality during his tenure in public office.
Allegations of irregular civic recruitment
According to investigators, Bose played a central role in the recruitment of around 150 candidates between 2014 and 2018, when he served as vice-chairman of the municipality. The ED alleges that these appointments did not follow established recruitment procedures.
Officials claim that selections were influenced by financial exchanges. They also allege that candidates secured municipal jobs in return for cash payments routed through intermediaries.
The agency further states that it has identified what it calls proceeds of crime. These include immovable assets such as flats and cash deposits that investigators link to accounts associated with Bose.
Long probe marked by repeated summons
Bose has faced sustained questioning over the course of the investigation. He appeared before the agency earlier on May 1 at the CGO Complex in Kolkata after receiving a summons during the election period. The ED summoned him again 11 days later for further interrogation.
During the same period, Bose approached the Calcutta High Court seeking exemption from appearing before the agency, citing election campaign commitments. Despite this, the investigation continued without interruption, with officials issuing repeated notices as the probe expanded.
Searches, legal process, and widening scope
The ED conducted searches at premises linked to Bose in January 2024 and again in October 2025. These operations followed a CBI FIR registered under the directions of the Calcutta High Court, which broadened the scope of inquiry into recruitment practices across civic bodies.
Officials said the municipal recruitment case first emerged during a separate investigation into a school recruitment scam in 2023. During that probe, documents and digital evidence reportedly revealed patterns suggesting irregular hiring practices beyond the education sector.
Wider municipal network under scanner
Investigators now say the alleged irregularities are not confined to a single municipality. The ED believes the recruitment pattern extends across at least 17 municipal bodies.
Nearly 1,000 appointments are currently under scrutiny. These include a range of civic posts such as clerks, peons, drivers, sanitary staff, and other support roles within municipal administrations.
According to officials, the pattern suggests a structured system rather than isolated irregular incidents. They are now mapping recruitment decisions alongside financial transactions and property acquisitions to establish linkages.
Political background and legal trajectory
Sujit Bose has been a prominent political figure in Bidhannagar, winning the Assembly seat three times. However, he suffered a significant defeat in the most recent election, losing by more than 37,000 votes to a BJP candidate.
The ED confirmed that the arrest has been made under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Following his custody, Bose is expected to be produced before a special court as required under the procedure.
The investigation remains ongoing. Officials continue to examine financial trails, property records, and recruitment-related documentation as part of what has become one of the most closely watched civic hiring probes in West Bengal in recent years.
