Properties linked to key middleman Prasanna Roy seized; probe tied to court ruling
Kolkata: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached immovable assets worth Rs 56.50 crore in connection with the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) jobs scam involving illegal recruitment of Group C and D staff. The action was taken under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the agency said on Wednesday.
According to the ED, the properties — including land parcels, commercial spaces, flats and villas — are held in the name of companies and LLPs linked to Prasanna Kumar Roy and his associates. Roy is accused of being the chief middleman in the scam, responsible for collecting money and candidate details in exchange for illegal appointments.
The attachment follows a recent Supreme Court judgment dated April 3, 2025, in which the court quashed the appointments of over 25,000 teaching and non-teaching staff recruited by the West Bengal Central School Service Commission. The apex court declared the entire selection process “vitiated and tainted.”
The ED’s investigation is based on two FIRs registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) alleging large-scale irregularities in recruitment. The FIRs invoke sections of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act, highlighting criminal conspiracy and violation of established norms, where deserving candidates were overlooked in favour of those who paid bribes.
To date, the ED has attached assets worth a total of Rs 609.9 crore in related recruitment scams across the state:
• Rs 163.66 crore in the Group C & D recruitment scam
• Rs 238.78 crore in the Assistant Teachers recruitment scam (Classes 9–12)
• Rs 151 crore in the Primary Teachers recruitment scam
Both Prasanna Kumar Roy and his key aide Chandan Mondal are currently in judicial custody. The ED has stated that further investigation is ongoing.
