Arrested West Bengal minister needs no hospitalisation, says AIIMS

West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee, arrested in connection with a school job scam, was on Monday flown to AIIMS-Bhubaneswar, where doctors said that he suffers from chronic diseases but does not need immediate hospitalization.

The Calcutta High Court had on July 24 directed the ED, which held the 69-year-old TMC leader last week, to take him to the health facility in the neighbouring state by an air ambulance as he complained of health issues.

We have conducted a thorough screening (of Chatterjee), including blood, kidney, thyroid and cardiological investigations. He has some chronic diseases, but does not need immediate hospitalisation, AIIMS executive director Ashutosh Biswas told reporters.

A report has been sent to the high court with details of Chatterjee's health status, Biswas said.

The symptoms with which he came to the hospital are not very serious in nature. There wasn't much chest pain as such. The TMC leader had been taking medications for a long time and AIIMS advised some modifications to that, taking into account his symptoms.

The next course of action will be taken as per court directives, he stated, adding that Chatterjee would be discharged soon.

An ED official said two counsels representing Chatterjee have gone to the Odisha capital with him.

Earlier in the day, the industries and parliamentary affairs minister was taken to Kolkata airport from SSKM hospital in the city via a green corridor.

After landing in Bhubaneswar, Chatterjee was moved to AIIMS, where a thorough health check-up was carried out, following which he was shifted to a special cabin.

A section of people, mostly from Bengal, were heard shouting chor, chor (thief, thief) as he was wheeled into the facility.

The TMC leader held the education portfolio when the irregularities were committed in recruitment of Group C and D staff along with teachers in state-sponsored and-aided schools on the recommendation of the School Service Commission (SSC).

The court had asked the CBI to probe the irregularities. The ED is looking into the money trail involved in the scam.