Primary Teacher Recruitment Scam: Calcutta HC Orders Removal Of Chairman Of WB Board Of Primary Education

The Calcutta High Court on Monday removed Trinamool MLA Manik Bhattacharya from the post of Chairman of the Board of Primary Education with immediate effect in connection with alleged irregularities in the recruitment of teachers in state government-sponsored and aided primary schools.

Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay had earlier ordered a court-monitored probe by a special investigation team of the CBI into the alleged illegal appointments of at least 269 primary teachers.

Such a direction was passed on the basis of the recommendation put forward by former CBI additional director Upendranath Biswas, who had headed the probe into the Bihar fodder scam that led to the conviction of that state's former chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav. A minister in the first Mamata Banerjee government from 2011 to 2016, Biswas had named one Chandan Mondal of Bagda, North 24 Parganas for allegedly giving jobs of primary school teachers in lieu of money.

The Court further ordered that Ratna Chakraborty Bagchi, the Secretary of the Board, would remain in charge till a new appointment is made to the Chairman of the Board. Furthermore, Bhattacharya was instructed to appear in person before the Court by 2pm on Tuesday for further interrogation. 

"..this court removes Mr. Manik Bhattacharya from the post of President of the West Bengal Board of Primary Education forthwith and I direct the Government to appoint any other fit person as President of the Board and till the new President is appointed, the Secretary of the Board namely, Ratna Chakraborty Bagchi will perform the function of the President of the Board", the Court ordered. 

The Court further underscored that it shall not tolerate such an 'unscrupulous person' as President of West Bengal Board of Primary Education.

Justice Gangopadhyay on Friday had further ordered that CBI Joint Director N. Venugopal shall head the SIT and supervise the whole investigation. The counsel appearing for the Court about the constitution of the SIT in accordance with his earlier order.

The CBI submitted the names of six SIT members, who will be investigating the cases under close supervision of its anti-corruption branch's superintendent of police, and its joint director. The members of the SIT constituted are as follows,

(i) Dharamveer Singh, Additional SP, CBI, ACB, Kolkata

(ii) Satender Singh, Deputy SP, CBI, ACB, Kolkata

(iii) K.C. Risinamol, Deputy SP, CBI, ACB, Kolkata

(iv) Somnath Biswas, Inspector, CBI, ACB, Kolkata (v) Moloy Das, Inspector, CBI, ACB, Kolkata

(vi) Imran Ashique, Inspector, CBI, ACB, Kolkata

During the proceedings on Friday, senior counsel Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya appearing for the petitioners had requested CBI counsel Billwadal Bhattacharyya to reconsider the name of K.C. Risinamol for replacing her by some other officer of similar rank.

Accordingly, the counsel for the CBI had averred that he would talk to senior counsel Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya as well as his client in this regard and apprise the Court about the appropriate decision taken in this regard.

Also Read: SIT Headed By CBI Joint Director N. Venugopal To Probe Primary Teacher Recruitment Scam & SSC Recruitment Scam Cases: Calcutta HC

Case Title: Ramesh Malik & Ors v. The State of West Bengal & Ors 

Case Citation: 2022 LiveLaw (Cal) 252

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