Mamata Banerjee Lashes Out At Centre After CBI Arrests TMC Leader Over Jobs Scam Case

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee lashed out at the Centre after Trinamool Congress (TMC) member Jiban Krishna Saha was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on April 17. The arrest was due to the legislator’s alleged connection to the cash-for-jobs scam. During a press briefing, the Bengal CM slammed the Central government for sending the agencies after her party members and using them for the smallest of issues.

“You sent ED after everyone. Everyone has one agency or the other behind them. You send NIA even if a chocolate bomb goes off. What is the job of the NIA? It is to protect the country,” Banerjee said. “We maintain democracy here, we maintain courtesy. That is why sometimes we raise our voices. But if someone messes with us, they will be destroyed,” she added. The CM also mentioned Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal who was questioned by the CBI for over nine hours on April 16. “Doesn’t BJP (leaders) have cases against them? How many have been arrested? Are they all clean?” she questioned.

TMC leader arrested by CBI
Saha was arrested from Burwan in Murshidabad and he will be soon produced in court after a medical examination. The TMC member is alleged to have been involved with the scam and he is also accused of having used two mobile phones for communication, which he is said to have thrown to get rid of the evidence. One of the phones has been recovered from a pond and the second is being searched.

The cash for jobs scam has Partha Chatterjee, the former education minister of Bengal as the prime accused. He, along with his relatives, close aides and friends, his staff and the officials in charge of recruiting teachers, are accused of accepting bribes for issuing job appointment letters.