The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday rejected the bail applications of former education minister Partha Chatterjee and four former government officials — Subiresh Bhattacharjee, Ashok Kumar Saha, Kalyanmoy Ganguly and Santi Prasad Sinha – jailed in connection with the alleged schools jobs scam being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The single judge bench of Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty observed that if the accused are released on bail, it will be an injustice to the deserving candidates and will impact the education system as a whole.

Earlier, a division bench comprising Justice Arijit Banerjee and Justice Apurba Sinha Ray differed in their judgments on the bail prayer of the five accused. While Justice Banerjee allowed the bail application of all the accused, Justice Sinha Ray rejected it.

The matter was thereafter assigned to the single bench of Justice Chakraborty by the HC chief justice for adjudication.

Justice Chakraborty, in his judgment, expressed agreement with Justice Sinha Ray’s order, rejecting the bail application of all five accused. He emphasised that the allegations against the petitioners are serious, noting that if proven, the offences could damage the credibility of the state’s education system.

Pointing out the “lack of explanation” from the state regarding the delay in granting sanction for prosecution, despite the Governor already granting it for Partha Chatterjee, the judge observed. “It is the obligation of the state to act fairly and impartially, ensuring cooperation so that the truth emerges,” Justice Chakraborty stated.

In their plea for bail, the accused’s lawyers argued that they had been incarcerated for nearly two years without the trial beginning. The CBI opposed their release, stating that although the investigation into the accused in the alleged school jobs scam was complete, the broader probe into recruitment irregularities was still ongoing. The CBI’s counsel warned that granting bail at this stage could hinder the investigation, as the accused are influential.

— With PTI

Kolkata: A trial court here blamed ED for the “unnecessary delay” in framing charges against the accused in the school recruitment case. Asking the central probe agency to submit all the documents linked to its probe by 2.30 pm Wednesday, the court said the charges need to be framed within the winter vacation. ENS