partha-chatterjee-denied-bail-in-teacher-recruitment-scam

Former West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee has once again been denied bail on Thursday, this time in the CBI case linked to the recruitment in primary schools scam. Although he had previously secured bail in the ED case related to the same scandal, the CBI's case against him remains active and the court has refused to grant him bail.

 

The verdict was delivered at Bichar Bhavan in Salt Lake, where the judge dismissed Partha's bail plea after considering the charge sheet, evidence and overall progress of the investigation.

 

The court observed that Partha Chatterjee is directly involved in the corruption conspiracy and has been identified as one of the key masterminds behind the irregularities in recruitment. The judge also noted that Chatterjee failed to provide any convincing arguments in his defense.

 

According to the court, the investigation is currently at a critical juncture and releasing Chatterjee on bail could potentially disrupt the process.

 

Originally, the verdict was scheduled for April 11. However, due to the judge’s absence, the decision was postponed to April 17. The final hearing for Chatterjee's bail application was held on April 3, where his lawyer Biplab Goswami pleaded for bail citing his client’s health issues and prolonged custody. Goswami pointed out that Chatterjee had not been interrogated recently and that several other accused individuals were released after shorter periods in custody.

 

Despite these arguments, the court ruled in favor of the CBI's opposition to bail. The agency maintains that Chatterjee was the central figure in the scam and orchestrated the corruption. His then Officer on Special Duty (OSD) has also provided a confidential statement reinforcing this claim.

 

Chatterjee was first arrested in connection with the recruitment corruption case in 2022. The CBI arrested him in the primary recruitment case in October 2023. His name is listed in the charge sheet, which includes a total of 11 accused. Of these, 8 have been granted bail, but the CBI continues to strongly oppose Chatterjee’s release, citing his influential role and potential to obstruct justice.

 

The court, in agreement with the CBI, upheld the view that granting bail at this stage could hinder the ongoing investigation, thereby rejecting Partha Chatterjee’s bail plea once again.