'Extreme Inefficiency': Calcutta High Court Again Expresses Displeasure At CBI Probe In Recruitment Scam Case, Removes CBI Officer

The Calcutta High Court on Thursday expressed displeasure at the progress of the investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into alleged irregularities in recruitments for government-aided schools in West Bengal.

Justice Abhijit Gangopadhay on Tuesday had removed investigation officer Somnath Biswas from the special investigation team (SIT) of the CBI that is probing the allegations of illegal appointment of teachers for primary schools after expressing his displeasure with the progress of the investigation.

Accordingly, the judge had asked the counsel appearing on behalf of the CBI to select Biswas’s replacement in the SIT and inform the Court his or her name by 2pm on Tuesday. 

Remarking on this development, Justice Gangopadhay on Thursday observed,

“Already one Officer of the C.B.I. who was looking after the primary recruitment scam has been removed because of his extreme inefficiency and extreme lackadaisical attitude in the investigation.”

The Court further directed the CBI to thoroughly interrogate Manik Bhattacharya, former Chairman of the West Bengal Board of Primary Education and Trinamool Congress Leader and submit a progress report in this regard. The Court however underscored that the CBI must submit such a progress report positively within a period of 7 days. 

"For this purpose, the C.B.I. should thoroughly interrogate Mr. Manik Bhattacharya, the erstwhile President and C.B.I. should come with clean and clear reports as to the findings on above questions. I cannot grant the C.B.I. more than seven days from date for filing the report", the Court ordered. 

Earlier, Justice Gangopadhay while ordering the removal of investigation officer Somnath Biswas from the special investigation team (SIT) of the CBI had directed the head of the SIT, an officer of the rank of deputy inspector general, to ensure that Biswas does not handle any document related to recruitment of teachers for primary schools.

"The officer Mr. Somnath Biswas is restrained from touching anything in his office which were in his custody until the head of the SIT Mr. Aswin Singvi is present while taking of all those papers in the custody of the new officer", the Court said in its order dated January 31. 

This is however not the first time that the judge has expressed his displeasure with the investigation of the central agency. Last year, while hearing a batch of petitions pertaining to alleged illegalities in the appointments of teaching and non-teaching staff in government aided schools of West Bengal, Justice Gangopadhay had said that CBI's probe had not been satisfactory and that no substantial progress had been made. 

The matter is listed for hearing next on February 10 at 2pm.

Case Title: Rakesh Mondal & Ors. Vs. The State of W. B. & Ors.

Click Here To Read/Download Order

Click Here To Read/Download Order