SC halts probe against West Bengal officials

The Supreme Court on Monday restrained CBI from taking any precipitative action against the officials of the West Bengal government in the case pertaining to alleged illegal recruitment of teaching and non-teaching staff by the state's School Service Commission.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, however, refused to stay the Calcutta High Court decision that cancelled about 24,000 appointments made in 2016. The bench queried if the matter could be segregated. The bench said that taking away about 24,000 appointments is a "serious thing" but the beneficiaries of the fraud ought to be identified.

The bench also raised eyebrows on the appointment of those who were not on the panel and called it complete fraud. "People who were not in the panel were recruited. This is complete fraud," the CJI verbally remarked.


Staying CBI probe against the officials of West Bengal government (as directed by the High Court) who created the supernumerary posts, the bench posted the matter for resumed hearing next Monday.

The West Bengal government last week had petitioned the Supreme Court against the Calcutta High Court's decision to cancel about 24,000 appointments made in 2016 by the West Bengal School Service Commission.

While holding the recruitment invalid, the high court had last week ordered the candidates to return the salaries they had received after being illegally recruited.

Aggrieved by the order, the state government, in its appeal, alleged that the HC on the basis of oral submissions and in absence of any affidavit on record had arbitrarily cancelled the appointments. The appeal reads that the same was done in "utter disregard" of the fact that it will lead to a huge vacuum in the schools.