The Calcutta High Court directed on Friday that Enforcement Directorate (ED) deputy director Mithilesh Kumar Mishra be removed from the central agency's team investigating the alleged primary teacher recruitment scam in West Bengal, news agency PTI reported. The court stated that it was disappointed with Mishra's responses to its questions during his earlier appearance before it. "The director, Enforcement Directorate, is directed to immediately assign the work entrusted to Mithilesh Kumar Mishra to some other competent officer," Justice Amrita Sinha ordered.
The court ordered that Mishra be relieved of his investigation of the current case.
"But the said officer will not be entrusted to investigate any case arising in the state of West Bengal," Justice Sinha said.
Mishra had invited Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, who the ED said is the CEO of a business called 'Leaps and Bounds,' to appear before him on October 3 in connection with the alleged fraud investigation.
In August, the ED conducted searches at Leaps and Bounds' facilities.
Petitioner's lawyer Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya submitted to the court's attention Banerjee's message on X, in which the TMC MP stated that he will be in Delhi on October 2 and 3 to participate in the party's demonstration seeking payment of dues to 100-day job workers from the state. "Today Justice Amrita Sinha, while hearing the petition on the employment scam in West Bengal, passed two important directions... First, Mithelesh Mishra, who was in charge of the investigation, has been removed because, on the last occasion, when the court directed him to file the asset statements, he gave a list of assets that were frivolous... In court, he admitted that he had given them on the basis of a letter written by the lawyer of Abhishek Banerjee... This was irresponsible behaviour...Second, we pointed out that the date was allegedly fixed by SEBI, asking some persons to appear, but they have shown their defiance... They are trying to delay the investigations...This dragging will help the miscreants destroy this evidence... To that, the court said that the schedule as fixed by ED should remain unaltered...The investigation should be carried on with all expeditions," Bhattacharya stated.
"The fight against the deprivation of WB and its rightful dues shall persist regardless of the obstacles. No force on Earth can hinder my dedication to fight for the people of WB and their fundamental rights. I'll b in Delhi joining the protest on Oct 2nd & 3rd," Banerjee posted on 'X'.
On September 13, Banerjee appeared before the ED in connection with a prior summons in the matter.
Dhiraj Trivedi, lawyer for the ED, said in court that the central agency is not leaving any stone unturned in its investigation and that a thorough report would be presented on October 10.
Trivedi stated that the cops investigating the situation are "very apprehensive" since they now lack central security cover.
He stated that more officers have been added to the investigation team and that the agency would release a thorough report on the investigation's progress on October 10.
Taking notice of Mishra's report, the court stated that the assistant director was unable to offer adequate answers to the court's questions on the previous occasion he appeared before it.
"The court is convinced that the said officer will not be competent enough to handle the recruitment scam case which is of a huge magnitude," the court observed.
Justice Sinha asked the authorities investigating the matter to take the necessary procedures to complete the investigation as soon as possible.