SIT to probe primary teacher hiring : Team to be led by a joint director

TT LEGAL REPORTER |  16.06.22  : Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay of the high court on Wednesday asked the CBI to set up a special investigation team (SIT), led by a joint director,  to probe school appointments and submit the names of the members in his court by Friday.

The SIT has to conduct a “detailed probe” into alleged irregularities in the appointment of primary school teachers by the state’s primary education board.

The judge again on Wednesday expressed his displeasure about the progress of the CBI investigation into alleged irregularities in the recruitment of teachers and other staff for government-aided secondary schools.

“I am disappointed. I am unhappy,” the judge said in open court.

“The (SIT) investigators will have to find out the persons who collected money while appointing teachers in primary schools and the entire process of investigation by the central agency will be monitored by the court,” he said. 

On Tuesday, the judge had said in open court: “I’m tired. I’m fed up with the activities of the CBI.”

Justice Gangopadhyay had ordered CBI investigations into alleged irregularities in the appointments for government-aided primary and secondary schools.

The judge on Wednesday also ordered that till the completion of the probe, no SIT member could be transferred. “The CBI will have to inform the court about every development and progress of the probe,” he said.

“The role of the CBI in the probe into the cases against the SSC has been very bad,” he added.

The day’s order followed an advice by former CBI officer and former Trinamul minister Upen Biswas, who was present in the courtroom.

The petitioner’s lawyer had earlier produced in the court a video in which Biswas says a man named Ranjan is offering teaching jobs in primary schools against money.

Biswas told the judge that Ranjan’s actual name was Chandan Mandal. He also promised the judge all help in the CBI’s investigation.