Kolkata: The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the Calcutta High Court order on the CBI, ED probe into alleged municipal recruitment scam after a plea was filed by the Bengal government challenging the high court order. The Supreme Court stayed the probe by the ED and CBI into the matter for a week.
The development takes place days after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed an FIR in Kolkata in the alleged municipal recruitment scam case on the basis of an order by the Calcutta High Court. The apex court also stayed an ongoing ED investigation in the matter for a week.
Incidentally, a Calcutta High Court bench of Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay ordered a CBI probe into the matter after the ED said there were common elements in the municipal and teacher recruitment scams, including common accused persons and common beneficiaries.
The ED had said in a report submitted to the court that the agents, including TMC leader Ayan Sheel, involved in the school jobs scam case, were also allegedly involved in the recruitment of clerks, peons, sweepers, and drivers in various municipalities in the state.
While appearing for the state government, Kapil Sibal said no notice was issued to the state government while ordering the CBI probe. On the other hand, the CBI counsel stated that the state government’s counsel was already present at the high court when the order was issued. Hearing the arguments, a Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud stayed the high court order, along with staying the ED and CBI probe in the municipal recruitment scam for one week.
In another development, the state government on Friday moved the Supreme Court against Calcutta High Court of NIA probe into the Ram Navami violence in the state. The Calcutta HC on Thursday directed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to conduct an investigation into the violence during Ram Navami processions at Shibpur in Howrah, Dalkhola in Uttar Dinajpur and Rishra in Hooghly. A division bench of acting Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya had directed the police to ensure that all the FIRs, documents, materials seized, CCTV footage etc. be immediately handed over to the NIA.
On this, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee in Jalpaiguri said: “Regarding the NIA probe in Ram Navami violence, we have seen who was involved in the ruckus. BJP workers were clearly seen carrying their party flags and guns during the procession. Thus, initiating the NIA probe in this matter can be a step to safeguard the actual culprits. BJP doesn’t want these culprits to get the punishment they deserve.”
He further added: “Under the pretext of carrying out processions, these BJP workers have created an environment of terror and violence. In Howrah, we saw how fruit and vegetable carts were set ablaze and public property vandalised. Police have arrested around 34-35 people in Howrah alone. Some of them are still in custody.”