[Cash For Jobs Scam] High Court Raps Bengal Chief Secy Over Delay In Sanctioning Prosecution Of State Officials

The Calcutta High Court has hauled up Bengal's Chief Secretary for not submitting a report on the time required for him to decide over the grant of sanction to prosecute government officials who are being probed in connection with the multi-tier recruitment cash-for-jobs scam. 

Upon being told that the report which had been called for by the Court on an earlier occasion had not yet been submitted by the chief secretary, the division bench of Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Gaurang Kanth held:

"Least expectation is for the report to be submitted. This is very painful. The bench is giving a direction [with no response]. We are asking the government pleader to appear at 2pm. If this order also does not get a response, then [we will summon]. Now we have to follow a procedure before summoning officials, so we are recording in this order that we will be constrained to call for his personal appearance."

Upon reconvening, the Court directed the Government Pleader to communicate to the Chief Secretary that he would need to place on record the report as called for the Court, failing which his personal appearance would be directed.

The government pleader submitted that some more time would need to be provided since the elections were already here and that time may be granted till the end of the elections to file the report.

Upon taking exception to the submission, the Bench remarked, "Mr government pleader, if this the plea then we will be forced to asked the chief secretary to appear in person. A prayer was made for grant of sanction in September 2022, one and half years before the election. We do not know what prevented him to apply his mind and issue a direction. We can ask him for a reasonable time frame, even if that is interfering with his busy election schedule. Many undertrials have been detained for more than a year."

The Court then allowed the government pleader time to take instructions and directed him to place the record before the Court by Tuesday, 9th April.

"Government Pleader assures this Court that the Chief secretary shall file the report by Tuesday. The Chief Secretary is directed to file a report with regard to the issue on grant of sanction, failing which the Court shall be constrained to direct the appearance of the Chief Secretary in-person to explain his conduct," the Bench said.

Case: Kuntal Ghosh v CBI & connected matters

Case No: CRM (DB) 172 of 2024 & connected matters

Click here to read order