Primary Edu Board prez, deputy secy cannot be arrested till Nov 9: SC

MP, 4 Nov 2023, Kolkata: The Supreme Court on Friday provided interim protection to Goutam Pal, President of the West Bengal Board of Primary Education (WBBPE) and declared that the latter cannot be arrested till the next hearing. The same direction will be applicable for WBBPE Deputy Secretary Partha Karmakar too. 

The next hearing is scheduled to be held on November 9. However, the Apex Court did not interfere in the verdict of the Calcutta High Court for a CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) probe against the duo that implied that such investigation by the Central agency against the two would continue. 

The Calcutta High Court had declared recently that the CBI can take Pal or other Board officials into custody for interrogation in connection with the primary teacher recruitment scam that is being probed by the Central agency. 

Pal had moved the Supreme Court challenging the verdict of Calcutta High Court. Counsel appearing in favour of WBBPE argued that neither Pal nor Karmakar have any connection to incidents that happened earlier. 

Pal had joined as President of the Board on August 24, 2022, while Karmakar joined a few days later. The scam which is being investigated is on an earlier matter and the two did not hold any portfolio in WBBPE during that time. 

He also pointed out that though the matter related to the recruitment scam is pending with the Apex Court, the Calcutta High Court single bench gave the verdict for strong action against the two. 

The counsel appearing on behalf of the deprived job aspirants maintained that the documents in this connection are in the possession of Pal so evidence tampering on his part cannot be ruled out. However, the Apex Court made it clear that the two higher officials of the Board cannot be arrested at the current juncture. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/primary-edu-board-prez-deputy-secy-cannot-be-arrested-till-nov-9-sc-539140?infinitescroll=1