Kolkata, April 21 (IANS) A single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court on Friday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to launch a probe into the multi-crore scam in the recruitment of workers and clerks in different municipalities in the state.
While passing this direction to the CBI, the single-judge bench of Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay said that if necessary, the central agency can start its investigation by filing a separate FIR.
“Also inform the court the number of additional investigating officers you need for this new line of probe,” Justice Gangopadhay told the CBI.
He also directed the CBI to submit a preliminary report in this matter on April 28.
The scam was first brought to light by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is conducting a parallel probe along with the CBI into the multi-crore scam in the recruitment of teaching and non-teaching staff in different state-run schools in West Bengal.
While raiding the residence of real-estate promoter Ayan Sil last month in connection with the teachers’ recruitment scam, the ED had procured incriminating documents relating to his involvement in the municipalities recruitment scam.
The ED counsel had also informed a special court in Kolkata that it detected transactions amounting to several crores of rupees in the municipalities recruitment scam, the documents of which the agency shared with its counterparts in CBI.
On April 17, Justice Gangopadhyay had observed that it is unfortunate that while some persons are working day and night just to earn Rs 10,000 a month, a section of the politicians are minting crores of rupees through corrupt practices.
–IANS
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