Partha Chatterjee's 'women associates' and their rags to riches stories

New Delhi

Trinamool Congress leader and a trusted aide of Mamata Banerjee for many years - Partha Chatterjee is cooling his heels in ED custody after he was arrested in connection with West Bengal's now infamous SSC recruitment scam.

So far ED authorities have received huge amounts of cash from various spots. Of course a substantial amount - around Rs 21 crore came from the flat of one little known model and actress Arpita Mukherjee.

Arpita has one flat at Haridebpur area of Kolkata. That picture of stacks of cash has already been released by ED.  Apart from cash, 20 mobile phones were also recovered from her house. 

Reportedly, Arpita was into modelling and came in touch with the Trinamool leader a few years back when she was 

engaged as a model by a local club in Chatterjee’s neighbourhood during Durga Puja. 

The ED suspects another woman in Partha Chatterjee's life and corruption games. Her name is Monalisa 

Das, Head of Department of Bengali department in Kazi Nazrul Islam University in Asansol.

How these ladies have amassed such huge wealth have automatically fallen under ED scanner.

Her Facebook describes Arpita Mukherjee as “a multi-talented versatile actor, having worked in several films in 

Tollywood.”

Arpita has  acted in Bengali movies alongside Bengal superstars Prosenjit Chatterjee and also in a few Tamil

and Odiya movies.

Her mother stays in the ancestral house at Belgharia in North 24- Parganas while Arpita repotedly has another flat 

in a posh campus in Belgharia. 

The ED has tracked at least 10 flats in Monalisa's name. She joined Kazi Nazrul University in Asansol in 2014. 

Questions were raised about her appointment as a professor and it was alleged that perhaps Mamata Banerjee's

Man Friday, Partha Chatterjee, had helped her in that. It has to be probed how en educationist can have as many as

10 flats in her name including one at Santiniketan,

Reports also say in total as many 20 flats have been identified owned by Partha Chatterjee but in different

names including a few in the name of his associates and relatives. One flat is named 'Apa' -- supposed to be short

form of Arpita Mukherjee.

In Santiniketan itself, Trinamool Congress secretary general has about seven flats. Of course in 2021 assembly

elections, Partha Chatterjee's affidavits did not have any mention of these properties. The affidavit had said he had 

His papers in total showed properties worth Rs 1.15 crore only and this included cash a modest 

amount of Rs 1.48 lakh.

Reports also say in Pachim Medinipur, he and his relatives have an English medium school in a spacious

compound. This school is said to be in memory of Chatterjee's wife Babli Chatterjee.

Only the land price of the 15 Bigha area compound is estimated to be Rs 45 crore and allegedly entire amount

was paid in cash. More importantly, such a huge amount payment was made in 2016 and during the period

when demonetization on high value currency notes were enforced.

The SSC recruitment scam and the probe are bound to reflect a totally new chapter of West Bengal politics.

ends