W. Bengal Recruitment Scam: SC Refuses To Stay HC Order allowing CBI, ED To Investigate Abhishek Banerjee

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to stay a Calcutta High Court order directing the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate to question Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee in connection with the West Bengal teacher recruitment scam.

The Supreme Court also stayed the order of the Calcutta High Court, which had ordered him to pay Rs 25 lakh in costs for filing the recall application.

A vacation bench of Justice J K Maheshwari and Justice P S Narasimha scheduled the matter for further hearing in July.

“Re-list in the week commencing July 10. Till the next date of listing, the imposition of the cost part by the impugned order shall remain stayed,” the bench stated.

The TMC Leader stated on May 22, 2023, days after being summoned by the CBI for questioning in connection with the scam, that “threats from central agencies” will not deter him from public service. The TMC’s national general secretary challenged the BJP to “fight him in the people’s court rather than using central agencies as a shield.”

The CBI and ED were looking into Abhishek Banerjee’s alleged involvement in irregularities in the recruitment of teaching and non-teaching staff at West Bengal government schools.

In 2016, thousands of teachers were hired across Bengal’s educational system as part of a recruitment scam. A bunch of petitions were filed in the High Court alleging irregularities in the recruitment process, and the court heard several cases.