Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Friday stayed a single judge's order directing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct a probe into the alleged irregularities in connection with the recruitment of SSC 'Group-D' staff (non-teaching) in sponsored Secondary and Higher Secondary schools under the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) on the purported recommendation by the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC).
A Division Bench, comprising Justices Soumen Sen and Ajoy Kumar Mukherjee, imposed a stay on the CBI probe until April 4, the scheduled date for the next hearing.
The Division Bench further observed that former West Bengal SSC adviser Shanti Prasad Sinha does not have to appear for questioning before the CBI in the meantime until the issuance of further orders.
On Thursday, Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay, during the hearing, directed the CBI head to call upon Sinha in the course of the day and start questioning him.
The CBI has been directed to initiate the interrogation by midnight.
On Friday, Justice Gangopadhyay had also directed that the salaries of all such illegally appointed Group-D staff should be immediately stopped and that they should not be allowed to enter the school premises wherein they are currently serving any further. The District Inspector of Schools was also ordered to take immediate steps to ensure compliance of such an order.
He has also listed the matter for further hearing on April 4 at 10:30 am.
In 2016, the state recommended the recruitment of about 13,000 candidates as Group D workers. The Central School Service Commission conducted examinations and interviews periodically. Then a panel was created. The term of that panel ended in 2019.
Allegedly, even after the expiration of the term of the panel, the Commission has made a lot of appointments.