SC reassigns primary education matters on jobs scam to Justice Gangopadhyay

Kolkata: Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay of the Calcutta High Court will continue hearing cases pertaining to primary education barring a matter which the Supreme Court has ordered to be reassigned to another judge of the high court.

The Supreme Court on Friday asked the acting Chief Justice of the high court to re-assign the West Bengal school jobs scam case relating to a petition-- Soumen Nandy versus the State of West Bengal -- to another judge over an interview Justice Gangopadhyay granted to a TV news channel.

As per the published monthly cause list of the court from May 1, which appeared on the Calcutta High Court website, Justice Gangopadhyay will hear matters relating to primary education.

"The Soumen Nandy versus State of West Bengal matter has been ordered to be reassigned, while Justice Gangopadhyay will continue to hear primary education matters as per the monthly cause list," senior advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, who is appearing for Nandy in the case, said.

The reassignment of the petition of Soumen Nandy from the court of Justice Gangopadhyay to another judge is likely to take place soon, sources said.

Hearing a petition related to alleged irregularities in the recruitment of teaching and non-teaching staff in West Bengal government-sponsored and aided schools, Justice Gangopadhyay had on April 13 said that accused Kuntal Ghosh could be questioned soon by the central agencies along with senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee.

He had directed that all aspects including a public speech of Banerjee should not be outside the investigation of CBI and if necessary, by ED (Enforcement Directorate).

TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee had addressed a public meeting in Kolkata on March 29.

Banerjee had moved the Supreme Court challenging the order and his lawyers referred to an interview by Justice Gangopadhyay to a news channel, in which he was alleged to have spoken against the TMC leader.