Bengal school job case: Hearing concludes, verdict reserved

Kolkata, March 20 (IANS) The hearing in the cash-for-school-job case at a Special Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court concluded on Wednesday, but the verdict was reserved.

The Division Bench of Justice Debangsu Basak and Justice Shabbar Rashidi had kept the verdict on reserve for the time being.

At the end of the hearing, Justice Basak made two significant observations.

He said there was nothing good in the entire recruitment process and, recruitments had been made in excess of the vacant posts and those extra appointments need to be terminated.

On the last day of the hearing, CPI(M) Rajya Sabha member and Senior Advocate of the Calcutta High Court, Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, who had been appearing on behalf of the candidates deprived of jobs illegally, made a forceful argument.

“This was a well-planned conspiracy and crime, where recruitments were made in excess of vacant posts to make room for ineligible ones against financial considerations.

“Public money had been wasted in this recruitment process. Action needs to be taken against the state government officials involved in the conspiracy. The Calcutta High Court needs to take an exemplary step in the matter. Else such corruption will recur. The offenders will get a free hand in continuing with their corrupt actions,” argued Bhattacharya.

On the other hand, the counsel of the candidates whose appointment is in question, on the last day of the hearing, cast doubts on the efficiency of the investigation carried out by the CBI and ED in the matter.

“The findings of the investigations by these two agencies in the matter are not trustworthy. The court should rather rely on its own independent assessment in the matter,” the counsel argued.

To this point, Justice Basak raised a counter question on who else, other than the investigation agencies, the court would depend on.

“This court even gave a chance to the candidates to examine their OMR sheets.” he observed.

Thereafter, the hearing concluded and the Division Bench reserved the verdict for the time being.