12 Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Thursday summoned the state home secretary to the court next Thursday to explain why the govt was showing reluctance in providing infrastructure support and fill vacant posts sanctioned for running the judicial committee. The panel was set up to ensure return of money parked by depositors in chit fund schemes, like Saradha and MPS.
In an earlier hearing, a division bench of Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Gaurang Kanth had asked the Advocate General to be present during the hearing on Thursday (Feb 13) after the state counsel had submitted at that time that the judicial committee couldn't function as most employees, running the office of the committee, had retired or were about to retire. The division bench took exception that despite being asked to be present, the Advocate General did not; the state counsel submitted he was busy attending another court.
Counsel for cheated depositors of MPS chit fund, Anirban Das, had moved the HC, saying nothing moved in the judicial committee office even after retired HC Judge Subrata Talukdar became its chairman. Das had submitted that many depositors were yet to get back their money.
The division bench on Thursday observed that the state didn't seem interested in filling the vacant posts or giving extensions to those working at the office. Justice Bagchi also took note that the new chairman was yet to get his remuneration. "Payment of a fat sum on account of remuneration of the former chairman is also pending," said Justice Bagchi, who sought to know the reasons behind the state's reluctance though it had promised to provide human resources and infrastructure support for running the panel.