“Expect State Education Minister Paresh Adhikary to step down”: Calcutta High Court directs CBI inquiry in recruitment scam
The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the alleged irregularities in the merit list published of students in state-run schools of West Bengal.
The bench was hearing a plea filed by an aggrieved candidate, Babita Sarkar who has alleged that she has been deprived of recruitment, despite securing higher marks than Ankita Adhikary who is the daughter of Paresh Adhikary, the Education Minister.
A single-judge bench of Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay while hearing the petition directed a CBI investigation into the matter and removal of the Education Minister.
The plea further claimed that the petitioner had secured 77 marks in the recruitment examination, while the Minister's daughter had only 61.
The bench stated that it has full faith in the State police force however it cannot be denied that the 'hands of the police force' are always influenced by those in power.
Justice Gangopadhyay directed a CBI inquiry, and observed-
“This court has full faith in the police force of this city and State. All the inhabitants of West Bengal know how efficient they are and everybody will admit the efficiency of the police force and it is also the experience of people that the hands of the police forces are always tied by the persons in power.”
Court has directed the head of CBI of the Eastern Region to register a case and to start an inquiry immediately by constituting a team.
Court further directed Paresh Chandra Adhikary to appear before the court before 8 pm on May 17, 2022.
“I direct the said Paresh Chandra Adhikary to go to the CBI by 8 p.m. today so that CBI can start interrogating him in every possible manner for knowing the facts”, stated the court order.
Justice Gangopadhyay believed that steps must be taken to ‘cleanse the whole situation of polity’ and, consequently, recommended that the CM and the Governor consider removing the minister from his post.
It was further added that the CBI is directed to file a preliminary report by June 7, 2022, and the matter is listed for the same day.
Conclusively, the court stated, “Lastly I say that we have to reach a cleaner and better society. As the name of one Minister of State is involved in this matter, to cleanse the whole situation of polity, I would expect that the said person, Mr. Paresh Chandra Adhikary would either step down or would be removed from the post of Minister and the Chief Minister and the Governor of this state would think over the matter. It is made clear that this is not my order or direction, nor any observation for the removal. This is only an expectation of this constitutional court that we are to look for a better tomorrow.”
Case Title: Babita Sarkar v. The State of West Bengal & Ors.