The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday sought seven days’ custody of West Bengal minister and Trinamool Congress leader Chandranath Sinha before a special court in Kolkata, saying that he was an influential person and had not been cooperating with the agency’s investigation into the alleged school teachers’ recruitment scam.Sinha, who holds the Correctional Administration portfolio, had surrendered before the special ED court on September 6 after the central agency filed a chargesheet against him. Though the ED had sought his custody then, he was granted bail.After hearing arguments of both sides, Judge Suvendu Saha said that he will give a verdict on the ED’s application on September 23.“In March 2024, we found Rs 1 lakh in cash and a mobile phone. When we found Rs 41 lakh, we realised that if the investigation was intensified, some more incriminating evidence could be found. Therefore, we did not take custody immediately after recovering the money and the investigation has been continued,” the ED counsel submitted in court.Last year, the ED had recovered Rs 41 lakh in cash from Sinha’s residence in Bolpur in Birbhum district.Also Read | School jobs scam: ED conducts searches at West Bengal minister Chandranath Sinha’s residenceAccording to the ED, they have information that substantial documents could not be produced to support the income that the minister claimed was from agricultural land. Further, the ED claimed, Sinha’s wife had stated in her statement that she had no knowledge of the money. “ We were trying to get materials against him. We have incriminating materials, which is why we want custody,” the ED’s counsel said.Alleging that Sinha intentionally did not provide the documents that were requested earlier, the ED counsel said, “He sent them a few hours after the charge sheet was filed. What prevented him from giving the documents before the chargesheet? This was pre-calculated. These receipts of property were obtained in one day by using influence. His influential position is clearly seen. His own action has triggered off the investigation. We need custody …due to his influence, in one day, he got all the documents.”Story continues below this adThe ED counsel further argued, “We have not been asleep for so long that we will suddenly jump in and seek his custody. The minister says, ‘income from farming; income from land sale’. Since then, our suspicions have increased.”Citing the reason for not arresting Sinha until now, the ED counsel said, “If we had gone to arrest him without gathering all the information about him, the people associated with him would have been wary. He has larger connections. We would not have gotten the rest of the information. Now we have gathered all the information. That is why we are seeking custody.”Also read | TMC minister under ED scanner over school jobs scam: Who is Chandranath Sinha?According to the ED, Sinha stated in his statement that he had received Rs 7.2 crore from the sale of flats. He also declared Rs 2 crore as undisclosed income and said he had earned Rs 90 lakh via property brokerage.Story continues below this ad“The Rs 41 lakh recovered triggered us. Then, the statement made us look into other aspects. Sinha said agriculture income and real estate…but we started investigation and we found the links with the scam,” the ED counsel said. “The documents (that have surfaced now) have triggered the need for custodial interrogation. He is a politically empowered person, and he is not cooperating, so we need custody. He did not produce the documents and is trying to deter the investigation,” the counsel added.While hearing the appeal, the court observed, “You (ED) got many crucial clues before filing the chargesheet. Why did you file the chargesheet 11 months after recording the statement? Why did you wait so long? Why was the ED dormant? When you are aware of the time ticking, then why not send the summons before? Why wait till July 25?”The ED counsel said the fifth chargesheet was submitted between the search and the recording of the statement. “In addition, the Supreme Court had ordered the formation of charges against Partha Chatterjee and the start of the trial. The officers got busy in that regard. But even in the meantime, the investigation has progressed,” the counsel added.Meanwhile, Judge Saha also questioned Sinha’s counsel. “Thirteen catta land, part of which was given for a joint venture, the deed is in his wife’s name. The deed is to remain with you (Sinha) so one has access to the documents. So, four weeks should not be required. When your client’s statement was recorded and his wife’s statement was recorded, his wife has said that ‘I have no knowledge; my husband knows everything’. She just signs, which implies he is not a party but he is an active participant…I am surprised that what took time. Being the representative of the people, he could have given a copy of the deeds. Why did he wait till the very end date of the submission?”Story continues below this adMeanwhile, speaking to the media, Sinha said, “I have full faith in the judicial system…(I am) cooperating with the investigation.”