West Bengal education board submits to HC names of teachers terminated due to 'irregularities'

KOLKATA: The West Bengal Board of Primary Education (WBPPE) on Friday submitted before the Calcutta High Court the names of 268 people, who lost their jobs as teachers in June following an order passed by it earlier. A total of 269 people were terminated from their services after irregularities were allegedly detected in their recruitment process of the primary board.

One candidate had later produced documents and convinced the court that he had bagged the job following proper procedure. The Supreme Court, however, later stayed the high court’s termination order, directing the individuals to file affidavits to defend their appointments.

The high court had also ordered CBI investigation into such discrepancies. Several people, including the board’s former president of WBBPE Manik Bhattacharya, have been arrested in connection with the case. During the hearing on Friday, Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay asked the CBI if any name other than those already arrested had cropped up during the course of investigation.

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The CBI counsel submitted that the agency will be able to provide answers to his query by November 7. Justice Gangopadhyay asked the petitioners to serve copies of the pleas, which had alleged irregularities in the appointment process, to all candidates whose jobs were terminated.

He directed that the process of making these people party in the matter be completed by November 9. The matter will come up for hearing again on November 25, the court directed. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is looking into the money trail involved in the irregularities.