The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to immediately question Trinamool Congress legislator and former West Bengal Board of Primary Education (WBBPE) President Manik Bhattacharya in connection with a fresh case related to irregularities in primary teachers’ recruitment in the state.
“If possible, interrogate him today only. If necessary, take him into custody again for the purpose of questioning. There is a need to interrogate that person who gave special favours against money,” a single- judge bench of Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay ordered.
Bhattacharya is currently in judicial custody in connection with his alleged involvement in the school recruitment case in West Bengal.
The fresh case pertains to a petition by 30 candidates in the recruitment for primary teachers in 2020. In the petition, they alleged that although they were told in the counselling session that there were no vacancies in their respective districts, later it was revealed that several recruitments were made to the same posts.
After hearing in the matter on Tuesday, Justice Gangopadhyay observed that there was enough reason to believe that there was monetary involvement in the matter. He also observed that it seems that this is a case of planned irregularity.
In his order, he also directed CBI that their sleuths might also question those who got appointment letters in this connection. He also directed the central investigating agency Enforcement Directorate (ED) to be involved in the investigation in the matter.
The ED arrested Bhattacharya in October last year in connection with the school recruitment vase. Later the sleuths also arrested his wife and son, who are also in judicial custody now. Bhattacharya has also been named in the charge sheet filed by the ED.
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