'I'm subjected to mental torture', says Partha Chatterjee

Kolkata: Former Education Minister of West Bengal Partha Chatterjee, the prime accused in the multi-crore teacher recruitment scam, claimed on Tuesday that he is being made a victim of political conspiracy and is undergoing mental harassment.

"I know that I am innocent. I am becoming a victim of mental harassment. I am being harassed to fulfil some political motives," Chatterjee said during his virtual appearance on Tuesday before a special PMLA court in connection with his alleged involvement in the teacher recruitment scam.

In the initial days after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in July last year, Chatterjee had talked about the conspiracy theory more than once. Later, he changed his line. Despite Trinamool Congress stripping him off all his ministerial and party portfolios, he continued expressing solidarity towards the party.

However, as he resurrected the conspiracy theory on Tuesday with the additional complaint of mental harassment, it created ripples in the political circles of the state.

Trinamool spokesman Kunal Ghosh said that Chatterjee is resorting to drama to draw sympathy.

"When I was behind the bars, he had described me as mentally insane. Did he not think of mental harassment at that point of time? Do not take his name in front of me. He is resorting to drama," Ghosh said.

Chatterjee's close aide Arpita Mukherjee, from whose residence the ED recovered crores of rupees in July last year, was also presented before the special court virtually on Tuesday.

During the hearing, she broke down and complained that she was not receiving adequate medical attention in the prison.

However, the judge did not approve their bail plea and said that the next hearing in the matter will be held on February 14.