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SSC recruitment ‘scam’: Calcutta HC orders SIT probe

The Calcutta High Court has ordered the formation of a SIT or Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the appointment of Group D staff to the School Service Commission or SSC. The SIT will be headed by Retired Justice Ranjit Kumar Bagh. There will be a total of four members. Even after the expiration of […]

The Calcutta High Court has ordered the formation of a SIT or Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the appointment of Group D staff to the School Service Commission or SSC. The SIT will be headed by Retired Justice Ranjit Kumar Bagh. There will be a total of four members. Even after the expiration of the term of the panel, the division bench on Monday gave such instructions in the case of corruption in the recruitment of Group D staff of SSC in the school. Earlier, a single bench had directed the CBI to probe the case. Challenging that verdict, the School Service Commission approached the division bench. Their petition had questioned the need for a central investigation agency. If necessary, the investigation should be led by a retired judge. On Monday, the division bench dismissed the CBI’s inquiry order. The court said a special investigation team was formed with the retired judge in mind.

During the hearing, the division bench judge repeatedly said that the inquiry would be conducted by a judge who could not be questioned. The court then said that Justice Ranjit Kumar Bagh would be in charge of the seat. He will be assisted by Ashutosh Ghosh, SSC representative, Parmita Roy, Joint Secretary, Board of Secondary Education, and Arunav Bandyopadhyay, High Court lawyer.

The Special Investigation Team will report to the High Court in the next two months.

Group D recruitment notification was issued in the state in 2016. 13 thousand were recruited like that. The Group D panel expires in May 2019. It is alleged that more than one appointment has been made since then. It is learned that 25 people have been recommended for recruitment. That information came into the hands of the High Court. The High Court wants an explanation as to how the appointment was made from the expired recruitment list. A single bench of the High Court had directed the CBI to probe the case. A single bench of Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay passed the order. A single bench of Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay held that there was a need for a CBI inquiry after the affidavit of the Board of Secondary Education. The court wants to form a CBI committee to investigate this.

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