Bengal SSC Scam: CBI Files First Chargesheet, Names Former Minister Partha Chatterjee, 15 Others

On direction of Calcutta HC, the central investigating agency has been probing the alleged irregularities in the recruitment of teaching and non-teaching staff in upper primary and secondary schools.

Former education minister Partha Chatterjee

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New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday filed its first charge sheet in connection with the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment scam and named 16 accused, including arrested former education minister Partha Chatterjee and former SSC advisor Shanti Prasad Sinha, news agency PTI reported.

On the direction of the Calcutta High Court, the central investigating agency has been probing the alleged irregularities in the recruitment of teaching and non-teaching staff in upper primary and secondary schools in the state.

The alleged irregularities took place when Partha Chatterjee was the education minister.

Notably, he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the last week of July in connection with the case. Following his arrest, Chatterjee was stripped of his portfolios and suspended by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). Sinha was arrested in August.

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Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Friday extended interim protection granted to the ex-chairman of the West Bengal Board of Primary Education and Trinamool Congress leader Manik Bhattacharya in connection with the case till further order.

In the last hearing, the apex court had extended the interim protection to the TMC MLA till September 30.

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A bench of justices Aniruddha Bose and Sudhanshu Dhulia, in the last hearing had said that the interim protection granted to Manik Bhattacharya shall continue till September 30. On September 27, the court had ordered authorities not to take coercive steps against the petitioner till September 28.

It is to be noted that earlier, Calcutta High Court had directed Manik Bhattacharya to appear before CBI by 8 pm on Tuesday. He had moved the top court seeking interim relief.