The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to Trinamool Congress youth wing leader Kuntal Ghosh in the Central Bureau of Investigation case related to the alleged school jobs-for-cash scam in West Bengal.
The bench, comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, granted bail under strict conditions. Ghosh is prohibited from holding any public office or commenting on the allegations against him while on bail.
Additionally, he must comply with terms set by the trial court, including surrendering his passport and abiding by conditions previously imposed by the Calcutta High Court in the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) case linked to the same scam.
The Court also directed Ghosh to remain in West Bengal unless granted prior permission by the investigating agency or trial court. He is required to avoid influencing witnesses, tampering with evidence, and misusing his liberty.
Furthermore, Ghosh must provide his mobile number to the trial court and the investigating officer and cooperate with the ongoing investigation and trial.
Allegations and Case Background
The West Bengal school jobs scam revolves around allegations of illegal recruitments to primary and secondary schools during the 2016 recruitment process. Over 23 lakh candidates appeared for exams to fill 24,000 vacancies. It was alleged that jobs were fraudulently awarded by tampering with OMR sheet evaluations.
Several high-profile individuals have been implicated in the scam, including former State Education Minister Partha Chatterjee, TMC MLAs Manik Bhattacharya and Jiban Krishna Saha, and suspended TMC leader Santanu Kundu. Many of these individuals remain in custody.
Ghosh was arrested by the ED in January last year. Though the Calcutta High Court granted him bail in the ED case in November 2023, his bail plea in the CBI case was pending until the Supreme Court’s recent decision. The plea was filed through Advocate Shilpa Singh and drafted by Advocates Balwant Singh Billowria and MS Khan.
Broader Implications
In a related development, the Calcutta High Court had previously canceled nearly 24,000 appointments made during the 2016 recruitment process, citing irregularities. This decision affected candidates who had allegedly secured jobs through fraudulent means.
However, in May 2024, the Supreme Court stayed the High Court’s order, leaving the matter unresolved.
The ongoing investigations and legal proceedings in the jobs-for-cash scam continue to highlight the far-reaching implications of corruption in public recruitment, with both state-level and national agencies closely monitoring the case.
