'Irregularities' in primary TET: CBI searches several places in Kolkata

Kolkata: Eight teams of CBI sleuths on Thursday conducted search operations at various locations in and around the city, including the West Bengal Board of Primary Education office, in connection with its investigation into alleged irregularities in the Teachers' Eligibility Test, a senior officer said.

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At least 50 CBI personnel have been engaged in the ongoing raids at different places, including the residence of former WBBPE president Manik Bhattacharya, who is also an MLA of the ruling Trinamool Congress, the central agency official said.

“Our officers have started raids at different places,” he said. Accompanied by CISF personnel, one of the CBI teams is also conducting a search operation at the residence of incumbent board president Ratna Chakrabarty Bagchi in connection with the case, the official said.

"Our officers are there as part of our investigation into the scam. They are interacting with family members of Bhattacharya and Bagchi as well as conducting necessary searches there," the CBI officer said.

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A single bench order of the Calcutta High Court directing a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities in appointments of teachers as per a panel from Teachers' Eligibility Test (TET), 2014 was challenged in a division bench.

A special investigation team of the Central Bureau of Investigation was constituted after the high court ordered the central agency to probe into the alleged illegal appointments.