Abhishek Banerjee’s Name Repeated 73 Times in 72-Minute Recording. CBI’s Audio Evidence in Teacher Recruitment Scam

Abhishek Banerjee’s Name Repeated 73 Times in 72-Minute Recording. CBI’s Audio Evidence in Teacher Recruitment Scam

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has submitted an audio recording as part of its third supplementary charge sheet in the ongoing teacher recruitment scam in West Bengal. The 72-minute-long conversation, reportedly recorded in 2017 at the residence of Sujay Krishna Bhadra, alias ‘Kalighat-er Kaku,’ in Behala, reveals shocking details. The name “Abhishek” or “Abhishek Banerjee” is mentioned 73 times in the audio, which has now become a crucial piece of evidence in the investigation.

CBI Recovers Secretly Recorded Audio from Laptop

The audio was allegedly recorded by Arvind Ray Barman, an employee of accused Kuntal Ghosh, on his mobile phone following instructions from Kuntal. Arvind later transferred the recording to his laptop, which was eventually seized by the CBI during its investigation into the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) recruitment scam. Although the original mobile phone used for recording was not recovered, CBI has relied on the audio found on the laptop.

Key Figures in the Conversation

The conversation features multiple voices, including:

1.  Sujay Krishna Bhadra
2. Kuntal Ghosh
3. Arvind Ray Barman
4. Shantanu Banerjee (expelled TMC leader and agent)
5. Surajit Chandra (agent)
6. Sujay Krishna’s wife
7. A parrot, which was intermittently heard calling out Sujay Krishna’s wife’s name

Abhishek Banerjee’s Name Repeatedly Mentioned in Key Discussions

The charge sheet highlights that Sujay Krishna Bhadra frequently mentioned Abhishek Banerjee’s name in discussions related to money transactions. One of the key parts of the conversation suggests that Abhishek was reportedly unhappy about the distribution of a portion of the alleged bribes received by then-Education Minister Partha Chatterjee.

According to Arvind’s testimony, Sujay claimed that after learning that a portion of the collected bribe (approximately ₹6.5 lakh per candidate) was going to Partha Chatterjee, Abhishek demanded his share.

Allegations of ₹15 Crore Demand

A crucial part of the conversation suggests that Abhishek allegedly demanded ₹15 crore. Sujay Krishna discussed with Kuntal and Shantanu how this amount could be arranged by collecting money from 250 candidates.

One of the recorded excerpts states:

“Abhishek said, ‘Give ₹15 crore.’ I told him, ‘Sir, no one will give money again. They have already paid ₹6.5 lakh each.’ Abhishek insisted on knowing who collected this money. I was careful not to reveal the names of Kuntal and Arvind.”

Another excerpt discusses how Sujay Krishna intended to keep Abhishek in the dark about certain aspects of the operation:

“We will arrange the ₹15 crore by taking money from 250 candidates. Only Manik Bhattacharya will know about it. We will put tape on Partha Chatterjee’s mouth. Abhishek will have zero scope to find out.”

Political Controversy and Abhishek Banerjee’s Response

Following these revelations, Abhishek Banerjee’s lawyer, Sanjay Basu, issued a statement calling the allegations politically motivated. He accused the CBI of attempting to tarnish Banerjee’s image.

Reacting to the allegations at a Trinamool Congress (TMC) organizational meeting at Netaji Indoor Stadium, Abhishek Banerjee challenged the CBI’s claims:

“My name appears twice in the charge sheet, but without any direct identification. Who is this ‘Abhishek’? Why is the CBI speaking in passive voice?”

CBI Yet to Summon Abhishek Banerjee for Questioning

Despite possessing the explosive audio recording, the CBI has not yet summoned Abhishek Banerjee for questioning. Meanwhile, the agency has collected voice samples from Sujay Krishna, Kuntal, and Shantanu to verify the authenticity of the conversation through forensic analysis.

Implications of the Audio Recording on the TET Scam Investigation

This newly surfaced audio evidence adds another layer to the ongoing investigation into the West Bengal teacher recruitment scam. The case, which has already led to multiple arrests, including Partha Chatterjee, continues to reveal a web of corruption involving high-profile figures.

As forensic analysis proceeds, all eyes are now on the CBI’s next course of action and whether Abhishek Banerjee will be officially summoned for questioning.