In a pivotal moment for the ongoing school jobs-for-cash scandal in West Bengal, the Calcutta High Court’s Division Bench delivered a split verdict on the bail pleas of former Education Minister Partha Chatterjee and several co-accused. The stalemate has now escalated the matter to the Chief Justice for resolution.
Presiding over 14 bail applications linked to the scandal, Justices Arijit Banerjee and Apruba Sinha Ray issued contrasting rulings. Justice Banerjee favored granting bail to all accused, emphasizing the importance of personal liberty and the unlikelihood of an early trial. He argued that prolonged pretrial detention without concrete grounds undermines fundamental rights.
“Once the investigation is complete and the charge sheet is filed, continued incarceration should be justified only in exceptional circumstances,” Justice Banerjee stated, highlighting that Chatterjee has already been in custody since September 2022.
In stark opposition, Justice Ray refused bail to five accused, including Chatterjee. Citing the accused’s influence and alleged misuse of power, she underscored that Chatterjee had played a critical role in the manipulation of rules to facilitate the scandal. “It is inconceivable that he, as Minister-in-Charge of Education, was unaware of the irregularities within the WBCSSC and WBBSE,” she remarked.
The case, spearheaded by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), alleges that massive sums of money were extracted by promising teaching positions to unqualified candidates. Justice Ray further criticized the State’s reluctance to sanction prosecution against certain accused, describing it as a deliberate effort to shield influential figures.
While Justice Banerjee pointed to delays in trial as grounds for bail, Justice Ray dismissed these concerns, asserting that the bottleneck lies with the State government’s inaction. She also rebuked arguments regarding the accused’s age and health, stating, “They disregarded the futures of countless young aspirants while holding positions of power.”
As the debate unfolds, the Chief Justice’s decision will now set the course for Chatterjee and his co-accused, leaving the State’s education system under the shadow of one of its most scandalous controversies.
