In a significant twist in the multi-crore Bengal school job scam, a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Kolkata has approved Kalyanmoy Bhattacharya’s plea to become an “approver.” Bhattacharya, son-in-law of former West Bengal Education Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Partha Chatterjee, is among the 53 accused named in the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) charge sheets. His decision to turn approver marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing investigation.

Bhattacharya, previously implicated for his role in the Babli Chatterjee Memorial Trust—named after Chatterjee’s late wife—allegedly facilitated the diversion of illicit funds. The trust, listed as an accused entity by the ED, is said to have masked cash proceeds from the scam as donations, later using these funds to acquire properties.

Investigative sources confirmed that documents seized by the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is running a parallel probe, align with Bhattacharya’s statements during interrogations.

The court’s approval paves the way for Bhattacharya to provide a “confidential statement” before a judicial magistrate, a move expected to strengthen the case against Chatterjee. This statement could offer critical insights into the financial machinations involving the trust and other accused entities. Alongside Chatterjee, Bhattacharya, and Chatterjee’s aide Arpita Mukherjee, the ED has identified 29 individuals and 24 corporate entities, including a firm once led by prime accused Sujay Krishna Bhadra, as part of the scam network.