SC stays Calcutta HC order asking WB not to lodge FIRs against CBI, ED officers probing school jobs scam

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the Calcutta High Court's April 13 order directing the West Bengal police not to lodge any FIR against CBI and Enforcement Directorate officers probing the school jobs-for-bribes scam. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwalam, which decided to hear the plea on April 24, also stayed the direction of a single judge bench of the high court that TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee and Kuntal Ghosh, an accused in the case, can be questioned by the ED and the CBI, and such "interrogation should be made soon."

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"The petition was in the mentioning list. Dr A M Singhvi has adverted to the contents of the order and the directions passed by which the ED and CBI have been directed to file a report with respect to a probe in connection with a public speech by Abhishek Banerjee. List on April 24, 2023. Till the next date of listing, there shall be stay on all action against petitioner in relation to the directions passed in impugned order," the apex court ordered.

The Calcutta High Court on April 13 had passed a slew of directions, asking the police not to lodge FIRs on complaints against officers of the CBI or the ED who are investigating the educational recruitment scam of the West Bengal Central School Service Commission and the West Bengal Board of Primary Education without its permission.

It had asked the central agencies to probe the role of state TMC leaders in the case. Senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for the TMC leaders, had sought an urgent hearing on the plea challenging the high court order in the case. The high court was hearing a petition related to alleged irregularities in recruitment of teaching and non-teaching staff in West Bengal government-sponsored and aided schools. The high court had said that Ghosh could be questioned soon by the central agencies along with Banerjee.