Supreme Court Cancels CBI Probe In Bengal Teacher Recruitment Scam

Kolkata, 8th April 2025: The Supreme Court has provided significant relief to the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government by overturning the Calcutta High Court’s order for a CBI investigation into the teacher recruitment scam.

This decision comes as a major reprieve in a case that has been marred by allegations of corruption and irregularities in the recruitment of over 25,000 teachers and non-teaching staff through the 2016 School Service Commission (SSC) process.

The scam, which surfaced in 2022, led to high-profile arrests, including that of former minister Partha Chatterjee, who was accused of accepting bribes for jobs. The opposition parties, particularly the BJP and CPI(M), have been vocal about the issue, accusing the TMC government of failing to protect genuine candidates.

The BJP’s Sukanta Majumder, a resident of Kolkata and a vocal critic of the TMC, stated, “This is a betrayal of Bengal’s youth who were denied their rightful opportunities due to corruption.”

Reacting to the Supreme Court’s decision, Mamata Banerjee expressed her respect for the judiciary but indicated dissatisfaction with the judgment. She accused opposition parties of politicizing the issue, stating, “We respect the judiciary but cannot accept this judgment.

The opposition is trying to use this for political gain.” Banerjee assured that her government would support affected individuals and consider filing a review petition in the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court’s ruling also nullifies earlier orders that had mandated the recovery of salaries from dismissed appointees and fresh recruitment processes. This move is seen as a significant setback for those who had been advocating for a thorough investigation into the scam. Despite the relief for the state government, the opposition remains critical, emphasizing the need for accountability and transparency in public recruitment processes.

In the context of this decision, legal experts and political analysts are closely watching how the state government will proceed, especially given the public outcry and political pressure surrounding the issue. The Supreme Court’s intervention highlights the complexities involved in balancing legal processes with political realities in high-profile cases like this.