According to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), former West Bengal minister and Trinamool Congress leader Sujit Bose allegedly recommended hundreds of candidates for municipal jobs in exchange for money. But the more striking part of the investigation begins after the alleged money was collected, so let’s dig deep into this Sujit Bose’s recruitment scam.
The ED says the proceeds were allegedly introduced into a restaurant as cash sales, moved into hospitality businesses, routed through loans and capital contributions and ultimately used in connection with properties.
In other words, investigators are following a trail that allegedly looks like this:
340 Recommendations. 284 Appointments.
The latest ED chargesheet, filed before a special PMLA court in Kolkata on July 9, 2026, names Sujit Bose, his son Samudra Bose, IAS officer Jyotishman Chattopadhyay and others, and according to the ED, Bose allegedly recommended 340 candidates for different posts in South Dumdum Municipality.
Of those, 284 candidates allegedly received appointment letters. The agency claims that approximately ₹6 lakh was demanded from candidates, putting the alleged proceeds attributed to Bose at around ₹20 crore.
The broader municipal recruitment investigation, meanwhile, involves alleged transactions of around ₹250 crore. That distinction matters: ₹20 crore is the amount the ED has specifically alleged in relation to Bose, while ₹250 crore refers to the wider case.
So, Where Did the Alleged Money Go?
This is where the case becomes a money-trail investigation rather than simply a recruitment-corruption case.
The ED alleges that money obtained from candidates was initially introduced into Chinese Quisine, a restaurant associated with Bose. According to the agency, the alleged proceeds were shown as legitimate cash sales from the restaurant, despite what it described as limited business activity.
From Chinese Quisine to Other Businesses
The alleged trail did not stop at the restaurant. The ED says funds from the restaurant were subsequently used to finance and expand other hospitality ventures.
These included:
- Shree Venkatesh Banquets
- Speciality Dhaba LLP
- Businesses reportedly operated under the latter, including Bengal Dhaba and The Bar & Lounge
According to the agency, money moved through mechanisms including capital contributions and unsecured loans. This is an important part of the investigation because the alleged money was no longer sitting as unexplained cash. It was allegedly moving through businesses and financial transactions that could make the original source of the funds more difficult to identify.
The Numbers That Matter – The numbers help explain why investigators are looking beyond individual appointments and examining the financial network surrounding them.
| Figure | What it represents |
|---|---|
| 340 | Candidates Bose allegedly recommended |
| 284 | Candidates who allegedly received appointments |
| ₹6 lakh | Approximate amount ED alleges was demanded per candidate |
| ₹20 crore | Alleged proceeds attributed to Bose |
| ₹250 crore | Alleged scale of the wider municipal recruitment case |
| 29 | Additional appointments ED alleges were approved as a special case |
The Shell-Company and Property Trail
The ED has further alleged that money for acquiring properties was arranged through borrowings from shell companies and individuals. According to the agency, these loans were subsequently repaid through allegedly inflated or bogus cash sales of the hospitality businesses.
The agency has also alleged that Bose received multiple flats as direct proceeds of crime, allegedly in exchange for facilitating jobs for certain individuals.
That gives investigators another trail to examine:
- Who paid for the property?
- Where did that money originate?
- Who ultimately benefited from the transaction?
These questions are central to establishing whether the alleged proceeds of the recruitment scam were converted into assets.
What Was the Alleged Role of the Government Official?
The chargesheet also names Jyotishman Chattopadhyay, an IAS officer and former Director of Local Bodies. The ED alleges that he used his position to facilitate, legitimise and regularise illegal appointments.
The agency has specifically alleged that 29 additional appointments at South Dumdum Municipality were approved as a special case despite the alleged absence of mandatory documents required under government guidelines. If the allegation is eventually established, it would indicate that the alleged operation required more than just candidates and money.
It would also have required the recruitment process to produce an official-looking outcome.
Where Did the Investigation Come From?
The municipal recruitment investigation emerged from the wider West Bengal recruitment-scam probe. One of the earlier figures investigated was Ayan Sil, director of ABS Infozon Pvt. Ltd.
The ED has alleged that the company was involved in printing question papers and OMR sheets, evaluating marks and preparing merit lists for municipal recruitment. The agency subsequently alleged that the recruitment process was manipulated to facilitate appointments of undeserving candidates in exchange for money.
The ED filed its first prosecution complaint in the municipal recruitment case against Ayan Sil in February 2025. The latest complaint against Bose and others expands the alleged money trail.
The Bigger Question: Where Did the Alleged Money Go?
At the heart of the case is a question that goes beyond the alleged sale of municipal jobs: what happened to the money after it was allegedly collected?
According to the Enforcement Directorate, the alleged trail moved through several layers:
If the ED’s allegations are ultimately established, the case could illustrate how proceeds allegedly generated through a recruitment racket were moved through businesses and financial transactions to give them an appearance of legitimacy.
That is also why the investigation extends beyond the original recruitment process. The ED is examining bank accounts, business transactions, company records and property dealings to determine whether the alleged money trail can be substantiated.
The case is now before the Special PMLA Court in Kolkata, while the investigation continues.
For now, the central question remains:
Were municipal jobs allegedly used to generate the money — and were businesses and properties then used to make that money appear legitimate?
The Enforcement Directorate says its investigation has traced a trail from alleged job payments to restaurants, hospitality businesses and properties. Whether that entire chain withstands scrutiny in court remains to be determined.
Note: The allegations are serious. But a chargesheet is not a conviction – the final verdict belongs to the court.
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