KalimNews, Kolkata, April 7, 2025: The state government has come under intense scrutiny once again as the Calcutta High Court ordered a prompt decision on whether to suspend the salaries of 313 teachers appointed under the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) following allegations of illegal recruitment. In a strong remark, Justice Bishwajit Basu asked the state’s Advocate General, Kishore Dutta, whether the government would halt the salaries, or if the court itself would take action to do so. The court has given the state 72 hours to decide; failure to take action within this period will result in the court issuing the salary suspension order directly.
This latest development comes after the state government faced a major setback with the cancellation of 26,000 teaching and non-teaching jobs due to similar allegations of corruption in recruitment. The case involving the GTA teachers now further amplifies the pressure on the state, highlighting the deepening crisis in the recruitment system. Justice Basu also stated that if the state fails to make a decision, the court will act on its own to suspend the teachers’ salaries.
During the hearing, Justice Basu inquired whether the state would halt the salaries or if he should issue the order himself. Advocate General Kishore Dutta requested until Thursday for more time to address the matter. A follow-up hearing is scheduled for Thursday, where the state is expected to present its decision on the issue.
The controversy surrounding the recruitment of over 700 teachers in the GTA region without any exams has been ongoing. While the state has claimed that these teachers were made permanent due to their long-term service, it acknowledged that there could have been procedural flaws but denied any corruption. However, the investigation conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) revealed that 313 of these teachers were appointed outside the established norms, with strong allegations of bribery involving prominent political figures.
The CID report implicated several key individuals, including former Education Minister Partha Chatterjee, Trinamool Congress youth leader Trinankur Bhattacharya, and GTA leader Binay Tamang, among others. The accused were allegedly involved in securing these positions in exchange for monetary compensation.
In response to the CID’s findings, Justice Basu had called in the CID’s Deputy Inspector General (DIG) for questioning. He asked why the accused individuals, whose names were known, had not yet been formally notified or summoned under Section 41A of the CrPC (Criminal Procedure Code). The judge questioned the lack of action on the part of the CID, despite the serious allegations. He specifically inquired about why notices had not been issued to key figures such as Binay Tamang and others named in the investigation.
State counsel Rudra Nandy defended the CID’s progress, stating that the investigation was still ongoing and had not yet reached the stage where such notices were necessary. He pointed out that the FIR had been filed based on an anonymous letter, and the investigation was still in its early stages.
In a letter to the judge, an anonymous government official had claimed that corruption was rampant in the recruitment process in the GTA region. This letter led to the initiation of the CID’s investigation, which has now become a focal point of the ongoing legal and political battle.
The court has instructed the state to take definitive action within 72 hours. If no resolution is reached, the Calcutta High Court will step in and issue orders to stop the teachers’ salaries. The final decision on the matter will be made during the next hearing scheduled for Thursday. The outcome of this case could have far-reaching implications for the state’s recruitment practices and its handling of corruption within public services.
This case is yet another example of the escalating corruption scandal involving recruitment in West Bengal’s educational sector, following the previous cancellations of thousands of jobs. With the CID’s investigation ongoing, more details are expected to emerge, and Thursday’s hearing will likely determine the next steps in addressing the widespread allegations of corruption and illegal recruitment.
