SC Stays CBI Probe Ordered By Calcutta HC In W Bengal School Jobs 'Scam'

The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the CBI probe ordered by the Calcutta High Court in a recent order where it cancelled 25,753 appointments in teaching and non-teaching posts made by WBSSC in 2016.

The state government challenged the high court order that nullified the appointment of all the 25,753 persons empanelled in 2016 for various categories of jobs at secondary and higher secondary schools in the West Bengal. ( Image Source :PTI )

The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the CBI probe ordered by the Calcutta High Court in a recent order where it cancelled 25,753 appointments in teaching and non-teaching posts made by the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) in 2016.

A bench of CJI DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra issued the direction while hearing the plea filed by the West Bengal government against the Calcutta High Court's order 25,753 appointments in WBSSC in 2016. The court however refused to stay any other direction by the high court in recent order.

The stay will continue till the next hearing on Monday.

The state government challenged the high court order that nullified the appointment of all the 25,753 persons empanelled in 2016 for various categories of jobs at secondary and higher secondary schools in the West Bengal.

The Calcutta High Court on Monday declared the entire panel of 2016 SSC recruitment, null and void. The High Court pronounced the judgement on petitions alleged irregularities in the selection of candidates in West Bengal government-sponsored and aided secondary and higher secondary schools through a 2016 recruitment process. The CBI arrested former state education minister Partha Chatterjee and some functionaries who held positions in the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) as a part of this school jobs scam.

A division bench of Justices Debangsu Basak and Shabbar Rashidi of the Calcutta High Court ruled that the candidates appointed will have to return the entire salary drawn by them, along with an annualised interest of 12%, within the next four weeks. The court also directed the WBSSC to start the recruitment process afresh. The bench ruled that all appointments from 9th to 12th and groups C and D where irregularities were found have also been declared null and void. The court has instructed the administration to take action on fresh appointments in the next 15 days.