Supreme Court Stays CBI Probe into Bengal Officials Role in the Alleged SSC Scam

The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the Calcutta High Court's directive instructing the Central Bureau of Investigation to investigate the involvement of West Bengal government officials in the alleged teacher recruitment scam. The apex court also directed the CBI not to take any immediate action. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on May 6.

"We will stay the direction which says the CBI will undertake further investigation against officials in the state government," observed the Apex Court. 

The court's decision came in response to a plea filed by the West Bengal government challenging the high court's ruling, which invalidated the appointments of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff made by the School Service Commission in state-run and state-aided schools. 

In its appeal before the Supreme Court, the state government argued that the High Court's decision to annul the appointments was arbitrary. Additionally, the High Court had ordered the SSC to conduct fresh recruitments and instructed those recruited illegally to return their salaries within six weeks.

The Supreme Court's decision to stay the Calcutta High Court's order directing the CBI to probe the alleged teacher recruitment scam involving West Bengal government officials has brought relief to the Mamata Banerjee-led government.

The state government's appeal to the Supreme Court argued that the High Court's cancellation of the appointments was arbitrary and had significant implications for the education system. The High Court had instructed the CBI to conduct further investigations into the approval of supernumerary posts by the state government to accommodate illegal appointments, including the possibility of custodial interrogation if necessary.