SC reserves decision on Partha Chatterjee's bail plea in cash-for-jobs case

The Supreme Court reserved order on the bail plea of Partha Chatterjee, an MLA and former West Bengal education minister, on Wednesday in a money laundering case related to cash-for-jobs recruitment irregularities.

A bench of justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan reserved the order after hearing both the parties.

Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi for Chatterjee stressed the top court for granting bail to his client which was strongly opposed by the Additional Solictor General SV Raju, appearing for the Enforcement Directorate in the case.

Senior Advocate Rohatgi said that Chatterjee is inside jail in the matter for a long time and sought bail on the parity that other accused were out on bail.

The top court remarked that he should be a little shy to claim parity with them as they are accused due to him. The top court remarked that what message will be sent to society if the corrupt persons can get bail like this. However, the top court also noted that delay in the trial in the case.

The top court in the previous hearing noted the trial, in the money laundering case related to irregularities of recruitment of primary teachers, against Partha Chatterjee, an MLA and former West Bengal education minister, is yet to start and hundreds of witnesses supposed to be examined.

Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi for Chatterjee in the last hearing informed the top court that his client is in jail for nearly 2.5 years, 183 witnesses are in the case and trial is yet to start. He also referred to his age and said that he is 73 years old.

Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for Enforcement Directorate, had opposed Partha Chatterjee bail plea in case and said that charges are serious in nature and huge amounts of cash were seized.

The top court was also informed that Partha is undergoing judicial custody in another case being probed by the CBI.

The top court was hearing Partha Chatterjee bail plea in case related cash-for-jobs recruitment irregularities

In July 2022, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested the former West Bengal Education Minister and TMC leader Partha Chatterjee in connection with the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) teacher recruitment scam. Chatterjee was previously lodged at the Presidency Correctional Home in May this year.

The Enforcement Directorate had earlier recovered over Rs 21 crore in cash from the house of an associate of West Bengal Minister Partha Chatterjee.

TMC had suspended Partha Chatterjee, arrested in the teacher recruitment scam in the state, from the party and removed him from all the party posts.

Earlier Calcutta High Court had recently directed the CBI to carry out investigations into the recruitment scam of Group 'C' & 'D' staff, Assistant Teachers of classes IX-XII and primary teachers. In these cases, involving the illegal appointment of non-teaching staff (Group C & D), teaching staff. ED is investigating cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA).