The Calcutta High Court, presided over by Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty, has reserved its decision on the bail applications of former West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee and four other ex-public servants implicated in an alleged school jobs recruitment scam. This case, investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), involves accusations of irregularities in teacher recruitment managed by the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC).
The bail prayers under review included those from Subires Bhattacharya, former chairman of the SSC; Kalyanmoy Ganguly, former president of the state secondary education board; S P Saha, former chairman of SSC’s advisory committee; and Ashok Saha, former secretary of the West Bengal School Service Commission, along with Chatterjee. All five individuals have been in custody for approximately two years relating to this scandal.
This hearing follows a split decision by a division bench of justices Arijit Banerjee and Apurba Sinha Roy, leading to the reassignment of the case to Justice Chakraborty’s single bench by the Chief Justice for final adjudication. During the proceedings, the CBI strongly opposed the bail applications, citing the completion of the investigation against the accused but noting that the broader inquiry into recruitment irregularities continues. The agency expressed concerns that releasing these influential figures could potentially compromise the ongoing investigation.
Partha Chatterjee, who served as the education minister from 2011 to 2021, is central to the allegations that have marred the integrity of school staffing processes under his watch. The scandal has drawn significant public and media attention, highlighting issues of corruption within the education sector.
