Read Time: 06 minutes

The Calcutta High Court has ordered Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into an alleged recruitment irregularity carried out by West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC). 

The Single bench of Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay said,

"It is to be known who is the mastermind in this dirty game."

The Court was hearing a matter wherein some candidates have been recommended by the WBSSC who were not even in the panel and in the waiting list. 

Justice Gangopadhyay was of the view that unless corrupt practices have been committed by the SSC’s responsible officers, such illegalities could not happen. Court further took note of the fact that according according to an enquiry report filed now, the present Chairman accepts that the names of the candidates were not included in neither the merit list nor the waiting list and that they were issued by fault or by mistake from the end of the WBSSC. 

Taking note of the above fact, the Court ordered CBI to constitute a committee, headed by an officer not below the rank of a Joint Director, with officers not below the rank of DIG to initiate the enquiry. The court clarified,

"It is not that, I do not have any confidence upon the Police of this State. But the Police is controlled by the State and in effect they are chained by orders from different quarters. Otherwise I have the belief that the Kolkata Police or the Police of the State is fully capable to inquire into the matter. Therefore, I am directing the CBI to hold this enquiry which has happened in this State, by statutory authority of this state, as an agency outside the control of this State."

The Court further stated that it is extremely surprising that some candidates have been appointed as Assistant Teachers when their names were not in the list – either the panel or the waitlist. "A person can never be recommended by the School Service Commission (which is a statutory authority) when he was not in the panel or in the waitlist. But here this has happened," the Court stated. 

Directing CBI to submit a preliminary report before this Court on 28th March, 2022 and not to leave any stone.  unturned. The Court also directed CBI to investigate into a money trail, stating,

"Unless the highly placed persons having huge influence had the blessing in committing such scam 4 in public employment, such illegalities could not have happened. CBI shall also enquire about the involvement of the persons, invisible now, under whose hands the officers of the Commission, if at all, danced like a puppet and committed illegality."

Nasrin Khatun -vs-The State of West Bengal & Ors.