Recruitment scam: SC issues notice on Partha bail plea in CBI case

Kolkata: The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice on a plea filed by former Bengal Education minister, Partha Chatterjee, seeking bail in the CBI case in connection with the recruitment scam.

The Apex Court bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh passed the order. Chatterjee along with four other officials of the Education department were charged under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and PMLA for using their public offices for personal gain by demanding bribes in exchange for jobs at the department.

All five had earlier moved the Calcutta High Court where a Division Bench of Justice Arijit Banerjee and Justice Apurba Sinha Ray had given a split verdict where Justice Banerjee granted them bail but Justice Ray did not.

This was challenged in a single bench of Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty which refused them bail. The bench had observed: “The allegations against the petitioners are very serious in nature, which are reflected from the excerpts of the documents on record.

The offences alleged, if proved, may jeopardise the credibility of the education system of the state.” Challenging the above two orders (the division bench and single bench), Chatterjee approached the Supreme Court. In December 2024, the Apex Court allowed him bail in the money laundering case with effect from February 1, 2025.