Calcutta HC orders ex-WB education minister Partha Chatterjee to face CBI today – Hindustan Times

KOLKATA: The Calcutta high court on Wednesday ordered former West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee to appear before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by 6 pm today in connection with the alleged irregularities in recruitment of teachers and group D staff in government schools.

The order by the single bench came soon after the division bench of the high court upheld the previous orders of the same bench, which had ordered CBI probes in at least seven cases of alleged irregularities in recruitment of assistant teachers in classes IX and X and non-teaching staff in group C and D is state-run and government aided schools.

“The single bench of justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay ordered that Chatterjee will have to appear before the CBI by 6 pm today. The bench also gave liberty to the central investigating agency to arrest Chatterjee, if needed,” said advocate Sudipta Dasgupta.

Members of a government-mandated panel, which had made the recommendations for the alleged irregular appointments, have also been directed to appear before the CBI by 4 pm today.

On April 12 this year, the single bench ordered Chatterjee to face the CBI on the same day. However, the division bench put a stay on the order.

“Upholding the previous orders of the single bench, in which a CBI probe was ordered into the recruitment scam, the division bench of justices Subrata Talukdar and Ananda Kumar Mukherjee said on Wednesday that there was no infirmity in the orders of the single bench. The division bench said the scam and the money trail involved would be investigated according to the orders of the single bench,” advocate Firdous Samim said.

The HC even set up a committee headed by justice Ranjit Kumar Bagh, former judge of the Calcutta high court, to probe into the alleged irregularities.

The committee had found massive discrepancies and recommended criminal proceedings along with disciplinary proceedings against some incumbent and former officials of the School Service Commission who had recommended the alleged illegal appointments.

“The committee submitted its findings to the court and it was accepted by the court. On Wednesday, the division bench relegated the matter to the single bench for further directions. The division bench has also upheld the single bench’s order on terminating the illegal appointments,” said Arunava Banerjee, advocate and member of the Bagh committee.

The Bharatiya Janata Party slammed the ruling Trinamool Congress for the alleged scam and welcomed the court’s orders.

“We welcome the court’s orders. This government and its ministers are shameless. They steal public money and then move court using tax payer’s money to shield the corrupt persons. We know there has been a huge corruption. If the CBI starts investigation, the entire illegal trade will be revealed. We have faith in the CBI and the court,” said Sukanta Majumdar, state BJP president.

The TMC, however, hit back saying that the BJP should first look at what’s happening in states where they are in power.

“This is a court matter and the case is subjudice. I won’t be able to comment. The BJP is selling the entire nation. It’s not right that they would make such one-sided statements. First check Tripura. Several positive things and developments are taking place in Mamata Banerjee’s administration. Amid this, if there has been some wrongdoings, it won’t be supported,” TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said.