WBSSC scam: TMC MLA approaches SC challenging CBI probe

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress legislator and former president of West Bengal Board of Primary Education (WBBPE), Manik Bhattacharya, on Friday approached the Supreme Court to challenge an order of the Calcutta High Court upholding an earlier order passed by the same court for an investigation by CBI into the primary teachers' recruitment scam in the state.

Bhattacharya also challenged the Calcutta High Court's order for his removal from the chair of WBBPE president.

On September 2, a division bench of the high court upheld a June 16 order of the same court calling for a CBI investigation into the recruitment scam and removal of Bhattacharya from the chair of WBBPE president.

On Friday, Bhattacharya approached the apex court challenging the September 2 order.

It is learned that the Supreme Court has accepted his petition and scheduled it for a hearing on September 27.

Recently, the CBI submitted a report to a special court of the agency on the progress made in its investigation into the multi-crore recruitment irregularities in the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC).

In the report, the CBI sleuths pointed out how former state Education Minister Partha Chatterjee neglected several complaints that were filed against Manik Bhattacharya regarding the latter's involvement in 'rampant corruption' in the primary teacher's recruitment process.

The CBI counsel had referred to an SMS that came on Chatterjee's mobile phone, complaining about Bhattacharya indulging in malpractices.

However, the CBI pointed out, instead of acting on that complaint, Chatterjee had forwarded the message to Bhattacharya.

Chatterjee, the prime accused in the WBSSC recruitment scam, is currently under judicial custody and will be made to appear before the court on October 5.

Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is conducting a parallel probe into the matter, has already questioned Bhattacharya on certain occasions.

Earlier, a lookout notice was issued against Bhattacharya for preventing him from leaving the country.

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