Writ petition seeks CBI probe into SJDA scam in Bengal

A writ petition was filed before the Calcutta High Court Monday seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the multi-crore-rupee Siliguri-Jalpaiguri Development Authority (SJDA) scam in West Bengal.

Petitioner Sujoy Ghatak, Siliguri municipal councillor of the Congress, alleged that the Mamata Banerjee-led state government was trying to suppress facts in which several administrative officers have been accused of financial regularities in the SJDA.

"We approached the division bench of Chief Justice Arun Mishra and Justice Joymalya Bagchi seeking a directive that the scam be probed by the CBI," said Ghatak's counsel R.S. Chatterjee.

The Banerjee government faced criticism from political opponents when K. Jayaraman was removed as the Siliguri police chief after he arrested Indian Administrative Service officer G. Kiran Kumar, who has been accused of siphoning funds, while CEO of SJDA.

Both the Congress and the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) have accused the Banerjee regime of shielding the perpetrators of the scam and have been clamouring for a CBI probe.

So far, 12 people including Kiran Kumar were arrested in connection with the scam. Barring one, all others are now out on bail.