Bengal Government to Move Supreme Court on GTA Teacher Recruitment Probe

PTI, May 29, 2026, Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Friday said the state would move the Supreme Court to vacate its stay on a CBI probe into the alleged Gorkhaland Territorial Administration teacher recruitment scam and allow the federal agency to proceed with the investigation.

He said the previous Trinamool Congress government had obtained a stay from the apex court over the CBI probe into the matter that was ordered by the Calcutta High Court.

Adhikari made the announcement after a meeting with Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leaders Bimal Gurung and Roshan Giri in the presence of Darjeeling MP Raju Bista at the state secretariat here.

Addressing reporters after the meeting, the chief minister alleged that more than 400 teachers had been recruited illegally under the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).

"We have got complaints about several scams surrounding the GTA. The teacher recruitment scam involved illegally recruiting more than 400 teachers. There was a case in the Calcutta High Court, and there was an order of a CBI enquiry. The previous government had obtained a stay from the Supreme Court.

"Today, I have asked the Chief Secretary to exit from it and let the CBI investigation commence so that those involved in the corruption could be brought to justice," Adhikari said.

The Chief Minister also announced forming a special inquiry team to probe into alleged corruption in the GTA, including accusations of irregularities in the 'Amrut Prakalpa' water connection scheme.

"We have decided to send a special inquiry team under the home secretary there to conduct a probe and file a report within seven days," he said.

Adhikari said the chief secretary and the municipal affairs secretary had also been directed to submit a report within seven days about the alleged corruption in the project.

"In the meantime, I have asked him to blacklist the agency which carried out the work, till the pendency of the investigation," he added.

The Chief Minister said the government was committed to ensuring proper civic amenities in the hills.

"We want the people in the hills of Bengal to get the civic amenities as per their rights. You will be surprised to know that in the 2025-26 financial year, a total of Rs 180 crore was allotted to the hills, and they could not provide any utilisation report," he said.

"In the 2026-27 fiscal, the GTA got Rs 170-crore budgetary provision. But since they could not provide any annual plan, they did not get a single rupee," Adhikari alleged.

He said GTA Principal Secretary Shama Parveen has been directed to immediately hold meetings with MPs and MLAs from the region and prepare details of schemes to be implemented.

The chief minister also said the municipal affairs secretary has been instructed to coordinate with the police and ensure basic amenities such as drinking water, roads, healthcare, education, street lights, parking facilities, bus stands and tourist infrastructure in the hills.

Referring to the tea sector of north Bengal, Adhikari said at least 25 tea estates had remained shut for a long time, affecting thousands of workers.

"Our PM (Narendra Modi) had announced a special package for the tea workers in the 2021 budget. The state government had to constitute a committee for this, but they did not, and the tea garden workers were deprived of its benefits," he alleged.

Adhikari also said that Union Minister Piyush Goyal had assured financial assistance of around Rs 300 crore for tea garden areas if the required guidelines were followed.

"I want to utilise the Rs 300 crore for the development of tea areas in the hills," he said.

The Chief Minister also announced financial assistance for families affected by last year's natural disaster in the hills.

"The district administrations have already allocated lands for 100 houses, but the previous government did not provide funds for their construction. MP Raju Bista utilised some funds from CSR and could build 10 houses," he said.

"Today, we have decided to allot Rs 3 lakh each for the remaining 90 houses and the district magistrate will speed up the process."

Adhikari said pre-monsoon preparedness has been initiated for the hills, and a quick-response team involving the NDRF and other agencies would be constituted soon.

The state government also decided to appoint administrators in the Kalimpong, Kurseong and Mirik municipalities to ensure uninterrupted civic services.

Darjeeling municipality has been kept outside the arrangement for the time being.