"Money Would Go To...": Aide's Statement May Spell Trouble For Arrested Trinamool MLA

Tapas Mondal, aide of Trinamool MLA Manik Bhattacharya, questioned over alleged scam in hiring of teachers, specifically about offline registration

Tapas Mondal, a close aide of arrested Trinamool Congress MLA Manik Bhattacharya, made some comments while arriving at the Enforcement Directorate office in Kolkata that could put the MLA in more trouble. 

He was summoned for questioning over an alleged scam in recruitment of teachers, specifically about offline registration of some candidates who allegedly got jobs in exchange for bribes paid to the ruling party MLA.  

When reporters asked him about the ED's claim in court that money for “offline transactions” — bribe money — reached the MLA via an institute that Mr Mondal runs, he said, “He had sent people from his office. My staff have told me that.” Pressed further, he said, “My staff informed me that the files and money would go from the office.” 

“If he is sending people from his office, then it is obvious would go to him,” Mr Mondal added. Asked to clarify who he meant by “him”, he said it was MLA Manik Bhattacharya. On what the money was for, Mr Mondal said, “It was Rs 5,000 for offline...,” as the elevator door closed.