‘Submit report on grant of sanction to prosecute public servants on May 2’

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed the Chief Secretary to submit a report on May 2 stating his decision on grant of sanction to prosecute public servants who are allegedly involved in the alleged recruitment scam.

The court on previous hearings had asked the Chief Secretary to make his position in the matter of sanction clear. On Tuesday, the Division Bench of Justice Joymalya Bagchi stated that if he fails to act on the Court’s directions, they will be constrained to initiate proceedings against the Chief Secretary.

The Advocate General pleaded for a last opportunity to the Chief Secretary to take the decision in the matter.

The Division Bench was hearing the bail applications of former minister Partha Chatterjee, Subires Bhattacharjee and Kalyanmoy Ganguly, among others. According to the counsel representing them, they have been in custody for about two years and the case could not progress due to absence of sanction.

The Deputy Solicitor General submitted that the Governor has granted sanction to prosecute the former minister however sanction at the end of Chief Secretary with regards to other public servants

is awaiting.

“Although the allegation involved a large scale corruption in the matter of public appointment at government and government-aided schools in this state.

The Chief Secretary failed to consider the gravity of the crime and did not take any prompt decision in the matter,” the Bench observed.

The Court advised the Chief Secretary to consider various factors, including the accused being in custody for about two years and they too have a fundamental right of speedy trial.

Sanction by the Chief Secretary is the stepping stone for commencement of trial, the Bench stated.