Cal HC directs CBI to interrogate WB minister for appointment of daughter

Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed CBI to interrogate West Bengal Minister of State for Education, Paresh Chandra Adhikari over the alleged appointment of his daughter as a teacher in a state government aided school.

The order was passed on a petition by a candidate who alleged that she was deprived of the job despite having secured higher marks than the minister’s daughter in the recruitment examination.

Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay directed that the minister appear before the CBI authorities by Tuesday evening for interrogation over the allegations.

Petitioner’s lawyer Firdous Shamim claimed that the candidate had secured 77 marks in the recruitment examination, while the minister’s daughter got only 61. Justice Gangopadhyay had on four earlier occasions ordered CBI inquiries in connection with alleged irregularities in appointments of teaching and non-teaching staff in state government and government aided schools and had also directed former education minister Partha Chatterjee, who now holds the Industries and Parliamentary Affairs portfolio, to appear before the agency for questioning.

A division bench had stayed the orders following appeals.

A high court-appointed committee headed by a former judge of the court had on May 13 submitted a report stating that 381 Group C post appointments in state government/aided schools were illegal and recommended criminal proceedings against five persons who are former top officials of state School Service Commission and present president of West Bengal Board of Secondary Education.