Summary of this article
Senior TMC leader and former Fire Minister Sujit Bose appeared before ED on May 1, 2026, for questioning in the municipal cash-for-jobs scam after skipping earlier summons.
The case involves alleged irregularities in recruitments across multiple West Bengal municipalities, with ED raids on Bose’s premises recovering documents and cash.
A long-time Bidhannagar MLA, Bose denies wrongdoing and says he is cooperating as a witness, amid ongoing probe linked to broader job scam investigations in the state.
Just days after the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, senior Trinamool Congress leader and former Fire Services Minister Sujit Bose appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the alleged cash-for-jobs scam in municipal recruitments. Once a powerful minister and four-time MLA from Bidhannagar, Bose’s summons and prolonged questioning have brought fresh attention to the multi-crore irregularities in civic body appointments across the state.
In one of the high-profile developments in the ongoing probe, Sujit Bose reached the ED office at CGO Complex in Salt Lake on May 1, 2026, accompanied by his son Samudra and lawyers. He was questioned for nearly nine hours following a Calcutta High Court directive, after he had skipped previous summons citing election duties. The agency later issued fresh summons asking him to appear again on May 6 with additional documents. Bose maintained he appeared as a witness and denied any wrongdoing, stating, “Doing business is never a crime. Stealing is a crime.” His establishments and those linked to his family were raided earlier by the ED.
Sujit Bose, born on 1 December 1962, has been a prominent face of the Trinamool Congress for years. He won the Bidhannagar Assembly seat multiple times since 2011 and was appointed Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Fire and Emergency Services in 2021. Known for his tall stature and strong local influence in the area, he emerged as a key TMC leader in North 24 Parganas.
The current case links to alleged irregularities in recruitments across several municipalities, particularly South Dum Dum, where connections to his circle have been probed. The scam reportedly involves illegal appointments in exchange for money, with links to middlemen and officials. ED raids in October 2025 at Bose’s office and related premises led to the seizure of incriminating documents, digital devices, and cash.
The municipality recruitment scam surfaced during broader investigations into West Bengal’s job scams, including the teachers’ recruitment case. Authorities allege that thousands of posts in civic bodies were filled irregularly, with candidates paying substantial sums for permanent jobs. The probe has implicated officials, middlemen, and influential local leaders. Bose has not been named in any charge sheet so far but remains under intense scrutiny as the ED continues its investigation.
This development comes at a politically sensitive time for TMC, following their defeat in the 2026 elections. Bose, who contested from Bidhannagar, faced a significant loss in the polls. His appearance before the ED highlights the continuing central agencies’ focus on alleged corruption in the previous TMC regime’s administration of municipal bodies.
