Calcutta HC orders SIT probe into SSC Group D recruitment

Kolkata, Dec 6 A division bench of the Calcutta High Court ordered a special investigation team (SIT) inquiry under the supervision of a former judge of the high court into the irregularities in the recruitment of SSC Group D staff by the School Service Commission (SSC).

A three-member team has been formed, which has been asked to submit the report within two months.

The order comes after the state government moved the division bench challenging the order of a CBI inquiry into the matter by a single bench of the court. Quashing the single bench order, the division bench ordered for an inquiry by SIT on Monday.

The three-member team formed by the court comprises SSC representative Asutosh Ghosh, Deputy Secretary of West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) Paramita Roy and advocate of Calcutta High Court Arunava Ghosh. The probe will be supervised by former justice of Calcutta High Court, Ranjit Kumar Bag.

The SIT will submit its report before the division bench within two months. The state government has been asked to bear all the expenses needed for the inquiry. Pronouncing the judgement, the division bench said that it wanted to give the responsibility to a person against whom no question can be raised.

In 2016, the state had recommended for the recruitment of about 13,000 fourth class staff in different schools of the state, and accordingly, the WBSSC conducted examinations and interviews periodically and a panel was formed.

The term of that panel ended in 2019. There was widespread allegation that the commission made lots of irregular recruitments - not less than 500 - even after the expiry of the panel's term. There were allegations that recruitments were made from the regional office of the commission.

Earlier, the Calcutta High Court had stopped the salary of 25 Group D staff on the ground of alleged foul play over their appointment by the WBBSE, based on 'recommendations' of the West Bengal Central School Service (WBSSC).

The court had also asked both the SSC and the WBBSE to file an affidavit on the recruitments. The petitioners had alleged that there were more than 5,000 people who had been given appointments after the recruitment process was over.

The single bench of Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay then ordered a CBI investigation into the alleged fake recruitments, challenging which the state government moved the division bench.