SC grants bail to ex-Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee in teachers recruitment scam

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday granted bail to former West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee in one of the teachers recruitment case.

A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh allowed the appeal filed by Chatterjee against the rejection of bail, saying how long should he remain in jail and if it does not amount to punishment.

The court also directed for passing order on framing of charges within a period of four weeks as sanction has been granted in his case. It ordered for examination of material witnesses within a period of two months thereafter.

The court also extended bail to two other accused in the case, Subiresh Bhattacharya and Shantiprasad Sinha, both held senior positions in the state’s education bodies during the alleged recruitment irregularities.

Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for the CBI, submitted that the accused has been in jail for three years and the CBI was not at fault over the delay in the trial.

He said this was a scam where a large number of undeserving candidates were appointed to the post of teachers, because they paid bribe to the minister and two others.

Opposing the bail to Chatterjee in the multi-crore School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment scam, the CBI said that he was the “mastermind" behind the conspiracy.

It claimed the recruitment racket was carried out under Chatterjee’s instructions by senior officials of the West Bengal Central School Service Commission (WBSSC) and the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE), including Subiresh Bhattacharya, Shantiprasad Sinha, Ashok Saha and Kalyanmoy Ganguly.

The agency also claimed Chatterjee continued to wield significant influence, and releasing him on bail could risk tampering with evidence and influencing witnesses.

However, having noted that the appellant has been incarcerated for almost three years or more and the investigation was over, the court granted him bail.

Chatterjee was arrested for his alleged involvement in the West Bengal teacher recruitment scam. He also faced charges under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. After his arrest, he was relieved of his ministerial duties, and all posts in Trinamool Congress (TMC).

Despite the order, Chatterjee will not be released immediately as several cases linked to the primary teachers’ recruitment scam were still pending against him. He was earlier granted bail in ED case also.