Abiding by the CBI summons, senior West Bengal minister and the TMC secretary-general Partha Chatterjee appeared before the investigation agency on Wednesday morning for questioning about the alleged irregularities in recruitment in government-run and aided schools by West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC).
This is the second time that Chatterjee— presently the minister for industries and commerce— appeared before the central agency. Grilled by CBI officials on Wednesday last week for three and a half-hours, he was asked to come again with documents.
Chatterjee, was the education minister when the alleged malpractices took place. He was directed to present himself before CBI on Wednesday last week by Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay of Calcutta High Court.
The directive to the minister to appear before the agency came after a division bench of the Calcutta High Court upheld orders of the single bench that directed CBI to inquire into the alleged illegal appointments given by WBSSC.
Meanwhile, Chatterjee had filed a separate case in the Supreme Court against the CBI for not summoning him, and the apex court also rejected Partha Chatterjee’s plea for protection. Chatterjee had approached the apex court challenging the order of the Calcutta High Court, however, a division bench dismissed the petition citing procedural errors. Nevertheless, the apex court said Partha Chatterjee’s plea would be heard if a fresh petition was filed.
According to sources, the CBI wants to get information from him about the discrepancy in recruitment corruption, as to under whose direction was the advisory committee formed, and who controlled this committee? At the same time, the officials said that they can check the income tax credentials of the former education minister.
The former education minister of the state evaded most of the questions during the three-and-a-half-hour interrogation last Wednesday. Meanwhile, the sources said, his entire statement has been recorded.