Kolkata, Jul 24, 2024 (IANS): The Income Tax Department has initiated the process of identifying the properties indirectly owned by two key accused in the multi-crore cash-for-school jobs case in West Bengal for confiscation.

These properties, sources said, are being identified following an investigation by the Income Tax Department under the Benami Transactions (Prohibition Act), 1988, which prohibits certain financial transactions in which property is transferred to one person for consideration paid by another person.

Income Tax officials have so far conducted probe under this Act against former West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee and his close aide Arpita Mukherjee, from whose twin residences the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seized cash amounting to crores and gold during a raid in July 2022.

Both of them are currently in judicial custody as the prime accused in the cash-for-school jobs case.

Sources said the Income Tax officials have tracked 16 properties that deserve confiscation under the Benami Transactions (Prohibition Act), 1988.

Recently, the Income Tax officials interrogated Arpita Mukherjee in prison.

Two other central agencies -- the ED and the CBI, which are conducting parallel probes into the school jobs case -- have so far confiscated several crores in cash along with gold and landed property.

In January this year, Income Tax officials got clues about Partha Chatterjee purchasing properties in different parts of West Bengal in the name of his close aide and son-in-law Kalyan Bhattacharya.

Bhattacharya, who is currently settled abroad, had told the Income Tax officials then that the property registered in his name was funded by his father-in-law using his identity proofs such as PAN card.