Kolkata | The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Kolkata Regional Office, has provisionally attached real estate worth ₹3.95 crore belonging to West Bengal MLA and former Minister for Education, MSME, and Administrative Reforms Chandranath Sinha, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, on 31 December 2025.
This action follows a CBI-registered FIR and investigation under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860, and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, relating to illegal appointments of primary teachers, hiring unqualified or ineligible candidates, and depriving deserving candidates. The FIR was registered by the CBI on the directions of the Calcutta High Court.
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Previous Actions and Asset Attachments
Earlier, a prosecution complaint was filed against Chandranath Sinha before the Hon’ble Special Court (PMLA), Kolkata, on 6 August 2025, in connection with money laundering. On 22 March 2024, a search of his residential premises led to the seizure of ₹41 lakh in cash and other incriminating records. The investigation also revealed that Chandnath Sinha had deposited large sums of cash in controlled bank accounts.
Further, the probe found that Sinha used family members as proxies to acquire real estate around Bolpur and Birbhum, which has now been provisionally attached.
Additionally, ED conducted searches at the properties of former Minister Pary Chatterjee and his close associate Sushmi Apita Mukherjee, recovering ₹49.80 crore in cash and ₹5.08 crore in gold jewelry.
As part of the broader investigation, seven individuals, including Pary Chatterjee, were arrested, and six prior provisional attachment orders (PAOs) totaling ₹95 crore had already been issued. The latest action has increased total attached assets to over ₹98.65 crore.
Prosecution Complaints and Charges
ED initially filed a prosecution complaint on 19 September 2020 against various individuals and entities. Subsequently, six supplementary complaints were filed on 7 December 2022, 21 March 2023, 8 May 2023, 28 July 2023, 30 November 2024, and 6 August 2025.
The complaints involve 54 individuals and entities, including Pary Chatterjee, Sushmi Apita Mukherjee, and Manik Bhattacharya, and the matter is currently under hearing before the Hon’ble Special Court.
Total Attachments and Other Cases
In SSC Assistant Teacher recruitments and ‘C’ and ‘D’ Group Staff recruitment scams, ED has attached approximately ₹486 crore worth of assets.
Total provisional attachments by Kolkata ED now stand at approximately ₹641 crore.
In the PTSR matter, the total seized and attached assets amount to ₹151.91 crore, held in the names of accused individuals and associated entities.
Ongoing Investigation
ED has clarified that the investigation is still underway. The agency is currently:
- Tracing other assets held by the accused and associated entities,
- Examining other sources of illicit funds and related networks,
- and preparing for further legal action against the accused.
The probe is also evaluating how investors’ money was misused under the pretext of high returns, and how these funds were laundered and used to acquire multiple assets.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
