Mamata Banerjee government challenges High Court's CBI probe order on SSC recruitment issue

West Bengal government challenged Calcutta High Court's single bench order for a CBI inquiry into the alleged SSC recruitment case.

Kolkata: Challenging the Calcutta High Court single bench order for a CBI inquiry into the alleged gross misappropriation regarding the recruitment of SSC Group D staff by the School Service Commission (SSC), the West Bengal government on Tuesday (November 23, 2021) moved the division of bench of the court. The case has been admitted and is likely to be heard on Wednesday.

The state moved the division bench after the single bench of Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay handed over the inquiry of faulty recruitment of Group D staff in West Bengal Board of Secondary Education into the alleged misappropriation to the Central Board of Investigation (CBI) on Monday.

Earlier, the Calcutta High Court stopped the salary of 25 Group D staff on the ground of alleged foul play over appointment by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) based on "recommendations" of the West Bengal Central School Service (WBSSC).

The court had also asked both the SSC and the WBBSE to file an affidavit on the recruitment. The petitioners had alleged that there were more than 5,000 people who had been given appointments after the recruitment process was over.

In 2016, the state recommended the recruitment of about 13,000 fourth class staffers in different schools of the state and accordingly the WBSSC conducted examinations and interviews periodically and a panel was formed. The term of that panel ended in 2019.

There were widespread allegations that the commission made lots of irregular recruitments - not less than 500 - even after the expiry of the panel. There were allegations that recruitments have been made from the regional office of the commission.

A case was filed in the High Court against the appointment of 25 of them and it came up in a single bench of Justice Gangopadhyay on Tuesday.

Initially, the judge thought that there was confusion in the recommendation of that appointment.

"Enough is enough," he told the commission. This means that the commission has no control over the regional office. I do not want another scandal - Gangopadhyay had said and the commission was asked to file the affidavit.

The Court on Wednesday not only stopped the salary of the alleged 25 Group D staff but also said that the court will do everything necessary to unearth the truth.

If needed, the SSC office will be cordoned off by CISF for the investigation.

The commission on Thursday admitted that they had no clue about the recruitment and pleaded for a judicial enquiry into the matter. The court, however, did not give any enquiry order but asked the WBSSE to come up with an affidavit on Monday.