Calcutta High Court rejects bail plea of prime accused Ayan Sil in civic job scam case
Telegraph | 21 March 2025
A division bench of Calcutta High Court headed by Justice Debangshu Basak on Wednesday turned down the bail plea of Ayan Sil, the prime accused in the alleged scam in appointments of staff in 17 municipalities across Bengal since 2014.
Sil, a businessman, was first arrested in connection with a teachers’ recruitment scam in 2022. He was later arrested for the alleged illegalities related to hiring in municipal bodies.
While the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) were probing Sil’s role in the teachers’ recruitment scam, the ED filed a report before the high court alleging Sil’s involvement in the recruitment at the municipalities.
The ED told the high court that common agents like Sil were allegedly involved in the recruitment of clerks, sweepers, peons and drivers in various municipalities in Bengal.
Sil was granted bail in connection with the school recruitment scam last year. But he was yet to obtain bail in the scam related to appointments in municipalities.
The CBI, which was asked by the high court to probe the alleged illegalities in recruitment to municipalities, told the court that Sil had masterminded the crime of appointing staff against payment of large sums of money.
The lawyer appearing for Sil argued on Wednesday that the CBI had filed a chargesheet in respect of illegal appointments in only one municipality though it has been said he was involved in illegal hiring in 17 municipalities.
“It has been alleged that Sil has taken bribes while making arrangements for appointing staff in 17 different municipalities of Bengal. Eleven months have passed since the CBI started an investigation against him. Till date, chargesheet has been filed in respect of only one municipality. The charges have not been framed yet. My client deserves bail,” said Sil’s counsel.
CBI counsel Dhiraj Trivedi said the probe was taking time as the crime was of a big scale. “A lot of time is needed to complete the probe.”
Justice Basak then said the investigating agency should get more time. “Probe into the issue is continuing for only 11 months. The agency should get more time. The court is not granting bail to the petitioner at this stage of investigation.”