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In a major political development that has once again brought West Bengal’s recruitment corruption cases into sharp focus, former state minister Sujit Bose was arrested late Monday night by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the municipal recruitment scam linked to the state’s urban development and municipal affairs department.
The arrest marks one of the most high-profile actions yet in the widening investigation into alleged irregularities in municipal recruitment processes that took place during the previous regime in Bengal. The case has already triggered intense political debate across the state, with the BJP repeatedly accusing the former ruling establishment of institutional corruption in public sector appointments.
According to ED sources, Bose was taken into custody after a marathon round of questioning at the central agency’s office in Kolkata. Investigators reportedly found “multiple inconsistencies” in his statements and were allegedly dissatisfied with several responses given during interrogation.
The former minister had appeared before ED officials on Monday morning around 10 am following a fresh summons issued by the agency earlier this month. He was questioned for several hours in connection with alleged irregularities in appointments made under the municipal affairs department.
Sources familiar with the investigation said officials confronted Bose with documents, financial records and statements gathered during the probe. During questioning, investigators allegedly identified discrepancies between his earlier statements and fresh evidence collected by the agency.
That reportedly became the turning point in the interrogation.
Late in the evening, ED officials informed Bose that he was being placed under arrest.
The arrest comes after weeks of legal and political developments surrounding the case. During the Assembly election period, the central agency had first summoned Bose for questioning. At that time, Bose approached the court, arguing that the ongoing election process made it difficult for him to appear before investigators immediately. The court had then granted temporary relief, allowing him time until the conclusion of the election process.
Soon after the elections ended, the ED issued another summons asking him to appear on May 1. On that occasion too, Bose was questioned for nearly nine hours.
Monday’s interrogation was seen by many political observers as a decisive phase of the investigation.
Adding another layer to the developments was Bose’s health condition. According to sources, the former minister complained of physical discomfort during the process of interrogation. Following his arrest, ED officials took him for medical examination and treatment before beginning the formal legal procedures.
His son, Samudra Bose, was present outside the agency office for a significant part of the day. While Samudra Bose left the premises later in the evening, Sujit Bose remained inside the ED office before his eventual arrest was formally confirmed.
Interestingly, this is not the first time health concerns have surfaced during the investigation. Earlier, during the election period, Bose had reportedly been undergoing medical treatment when the agency initially sought to question him. At that time too, his health condition became part of the legal arguments presented before the court.
The municipal recruitment scam has gradually emerged as one of the most politically explosive corruption investigations in Bengal after the school recruitment controversy. Investigators are probing allegations that appointments in several municipal bodies and departments were manipulated through illegal payments, political influence and irregular selection procedures.
While the ED has remained tight-lipped about specific financial details linked to Bose’s arrest, officials indicated that the investigation is still expanding and further arrests or summons cannot be ruled out.
The arrest is expected to intensify the political confrontation between the BJP government in Bengal and the opposition Trinamool Congress leadership. BJP leaders have repeatedly claimed that corruption in recruitment processes became “institutionalised” during the previous administration, while Trinamool leaders have accused central agencies of targeting opposition politicians selectively.
Political analysts believe Bose’s arrest carries both administrative and symbolic significance. A prominent face in Bengal politics for years, Sujit Bose had held influential positions in the previous government and maintained a strong organisational network, especially in parts of North Kolkata and surrounding regions.
Now, with the ED tightening its investigation into municipal recruitment irregularities, the case is likely to become a major political flashpoint in the coming weeks.
For the BJP-led administration under Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, the arrest also reinforces its broader political narrative of pursuing corruption cases aggressively after coming to power.
As the investigation deepens, attention will now shift to what evidence the central agency presents before the court and whether the municipal recruitment probe opens up a wider chain of arrests across the state’s former administrative and political establishment.
