Interviews, appts done within 24 hours in municipalities: CBI
Times of India | 3 July 2024
Kolkata: CBI’s first chargesheet in the municipal recruitment scam has revealed how interviews were taken in the morning, candidates were shortlisted during the day, and appointments were made within 24 hours. The central investigating agency, which earlier named Ayan Sil as the prime accused in the case, has now included former chairperson of South Dum Dum Municipality Pachu Gopal Roy as co-accused.
Roy held the post between 2015 and 2020, and as election could not be held during the Covid outbreak, he continued for the next two years.CBI alleged that Sil used fake OMR sheets to influence recruitment at many municipalities, including South Dum Dum. The appointments on the agency’s radar were all made in 2020. Roy said, “I have not seen the chargesheet. I was not much involved in the recruitment process. However, I remember having signed documents for the appointments. But appointments were not made on the same day. If the CBI has said that, it is not true. We had interviewed 29 people together, but it is impossible for anyone to give appointment letters to 29 people on the same day,” Roy said.
“There was nothing wrong with the appointments. It was for majdoors or Group D workers. The municipal appointment process is different from appointments in the state govt or central govt. It may not always have an elaborate procedure, especially for posts like majdoors,” he added. “CBI has mentioned names of several persons in various municipalities. However, we are yet to see the chargesheet,” said Sanjib Dan, the lawyer for Dum Dum Municipality.
Last year, the central investigation agencies conducted raids at premises linked to Roy. The agency had seized papers, documents and pen drives among other things, which led the investigators to stumble upon the appointments. Agency officials said rules were flouted in 67 appointments made during Roy’s tenure.