Municipality job scam case: State withdraws appeal from SC

Kolkata: State government on Monday withdrew the municipality appointment case filed in the Supreme Court in which Calcutta High Court had ordered a CBI probe.

State had moved the Supreme Court challenging the Division Bench’s order.

The state had earlier filed a review petition challenging Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay’s direction to CBI to conduct a probe into municipality appointments. The review petition was heard by Justice Amrita Sinha, after two cases of Justice Gangopadhyay were reassigned to her by Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam following the Supreme Court of India order.

Justice Sinha had upheld the order by Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay on the CBI probe in connection with the alleged municipality recruitment irregularities. State had then approached the Division Bench of Calcutta High Court challenging the order by Justice Sinha. After the Division Bench granted no stay in the matter, the state moved the Supreme Court.

The ED, after searching the office and house of Ayan Seal, claimed irregularities in appointments in multiple posts of municipalities across the state. They had approached the court seeking inquiry into the matter when Justice Gangopadhyay directed the CBI to investigate. The state had then approached SC, who ordered an interim stay and sent the case back to High Court.