India News | School Job Scam: Cal HC Rejects Bail Plea of Former SSC Chairman

Kolkata, Dec 21 (PTI) The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday rejected a bail prayer moved by former chairman of West Bengal Central School Service Commission (WBCSSC or SSC) Subires Bhattacharya, who was arrested by the CBI for alleged involvement in teacher recruitment irregularities

The court observed that appointment of undeserving candidates to the posts of teachers in state government-sponsored and -aided educational institutions struck at the root of the rights of students to access quality education.

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Denying bail to Bhattacharya, a division bench presided by Justice Joymalya Bagchi said that acts of corruption by public servants not only affect immediate victims but cause severe dent on the faith and confidence of society in fair and impartial public administration.

Taking note of the argument that there is little possibility of the trial commencing as sanction by the state's chief secretary is awaited, the bench said, "We hope and trust that the sanctioning authority shall take cognizance of the aforesaid facts and the necessity to take appropriate decision in the matter at the earliest."

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Bhattacharya's lawyer had also submitted that he is a reputed academician and there is little possibility of him absconding or evading the process of law.

CBI lawyer Arun Kumar Maiti, opposing the bail prayer, stated that the investigation has unravelled a deep-rooted conspiracy in the matter of appointment of assistant teachers in classes IX and X of secondary and higher secondary schools.

Noting that he is in custody barely for three months, the bench, also comprising Justice A K Gupta, said "gross and widespread manipulations of marks in OMR sheets maintained in the database of SSC and in the personality scores of candidates under the stewardship of the petitioner gives rise to a prima facie inference of his culpability."

Bhattacharya, who was the chairman of SSC from January, 2014 till July, 2018, was arrested on September 19 by the CBI for allegedly committing offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Noticing widespread corruption in the matter of appointment of assistant teachers in classes IX and X under the auspices of the SSC, Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay had ordered an investigation by CBI.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)