Calcutta High Court Issues Split Verdict on Bail Pleas in Bengal Cash-for-Jobs Scam

On November 20, 2024, the Calcutta High Court issued a split verdict on the bail pleas of former West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee and four other accused in the infamous cash-for-jobs recruitment scam. The case, which has gripped the state’s political and educational landscape, involves allegations of bribery, manipulation of recruitment processes, and corruption. 

Justice Arijit Banerjee granted bail to all the accused, citing the long period of their custodial detention and the delays in the trial proceedings as key factors. He expressed concerns over the extended time the accused had spent in custody without a verdict. On the other hand, Justice Apurba Sinha Ray denied bail, highlighting the powerful positions held by the accused and the potential for witness manipulation or intimidation, suggesting that granting bail might hinder the investigation and judicial process.

The scandal at the heart of the case involves allegations of corruption and manipulation within the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC). It is believed that the accused engaged in a range of illegal activities, including altering marks, tampering with OMR sheets, and demanding money for job appointments. The scam, valued in the hundreds of crores, has become one of the most high-profile cases in the state’s recent history, with political and educational figures at the centre of the controversy.

The accused include Partha Chatterjee, a prominent leader from the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), along with Subiresh Bhattacharya, the former SSC Chairman and Vice Chancellor of North Bengal University, Ashok Saha, the former Assistant Secretary to the Commission, Kalyanmoy Gangopadhyay, the President of the State Secondary Education Board, and Shanti Prasad Sinha, a former SSC advisor. These figures are under investigation for their roles in facilitating illegal recruitment practices in exchange for monetary benefits.

Following the split verdict, the cases have been transferred to Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam for assignment to a third bench. The West Bengal government has been directed to decide on the sanction for prosecution within the next fortnight. Legal experts have noted that this split decision underscores the complexities surrounding the case, and it has sparked widespread speculation on how the matter will unfold in the coming months. As the investigation continues, the case remains a crucial point of discussion in the state’s political and legal circles.