'Will CBI now enter people's washrooms', Mamata fires fresh salvo at Centre

Kolkata, June 7 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday once again attacked the Union government over the daylong raids at different municipalities in the state as part of the ongoing probe into the alleged recruitment scam in the municipalities, asking if the central agencies will now barge into people's washrooms.

Banerjee was addressing a gathering during a programme to distribute compensation cheques to the family members of those from the state who died in the horrific train accident that occured in Odisha's Balasore district on the evening of June 2.

"Every attempt is being made to suppress the actual reasons behind the deadly accident. To divert attention, the CBI is being sent everywhere. Today I heard the CBI has entered the municipalities in West Bengal. Will the CBI now enter people's private washrooms," Banerjee questioned.

Earlier on Wednesday, as the CBI conducted parallel raids at 14 locations, Municipal Affairs Minister and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim said that such enhanced central agency activities are nothing but narrow politics.

Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is conducting a parallel probe into the multi-crore municipalities recruitment case, has estimated the total money collected in the alleged scam to be to the tune of Rs 200 crore.

ED sources said that these collections were made while making appointments to various posts in different municipalities such as cleaners, ambulance drivers, peons and pump operators, among others, with each job being sold at amounts ranging from Rs 4,00,000 to Rs 7,00,000.

Sources said that a total of 14 municipalities are currently under the scanner of the probe agencies for alleged irregularities in the recruitment of clerks and workers against payment of money.

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