Kolkata, Mar 9 (IANS): Tollywood actor Bonny Sengupta aka Anupriyo Sengupta, who appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday for questioning in the multi-crore teachers' recruitment scam in West Bengal, has admitted to accepting cash to the tune of around Rs 40 lakh from youth Trinamool Congress leader Kuntal Ghosh, who has been arrested in connection with the scam.
After receiving the ED summon on Thursday morning, Sengupta reached the ED office at around 1 p.m. After being interrogated for over two hours, he was given a half-an-hour break during which he admitted accepting cash from Ghosh before the waiting mediapersons .
"I was in need of money at one point of time as I was planning to buy a vehicle. He (Ghosh) gave me around Rs 40 lakh. I did not directly accept the cash and Ghosh made the payment to the showroom from where I purchased the car. However, in return for the payment, I performed in around 25 events organised by Ghosh," Sengupta told the media.
Sengupta also admitted that he did not have any written document to support his claim.
"The Tollywood industry is an extremely small world and hence a lot of things work on trust. This payment made by Ghosh and me performing at events organised by him in return was driven by that trust factor. I have disclosed all this to the ED and I am ready to extend all necessary cooperation to the agency in the matter," said Sengupta before joining the ED for another round of questioning.
Sengupta also said that he has now sold off the Range Rover car that he purchased with the payment made by Ghosh.
Meanwhile, Ghosh, who was presented before a special PMLA court on Thursday, also admitted to making the payment for Sengupta's car.
"Bonny has performed at events organised by me for five years. I paid the amount as his performance fee," Ghosh said.
Sengupta was summoned by the ED following the cross-checking of the documents recovered from Ghosh's possession.
Sengupta is the first Tollywood actor to be questioned by the ED in connection with the teachers' recruitment scam.