CBI files new FIR against jailed Manik Bhattacharya in teachers' job scam
Jul 26, 2023
New Delhi [India], July 26 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday registered a case against Manik Bhattacharya, former president of the West Bengal Board of Primary Education over the allegation of illegality in the matter relating to recruitment of primary teachers during 2020-21.
As per the officials of the agency, the CBI has also registered the case against other public servants in connection with the same case.
The Kolkata High Court had handed over the investigation of the case to the CBI. Manik Bhattacharya, who is already lodged in Kolkata's Presidency Central jail after being arrested, was questioned by a CBI team last night and this morning in relation to the scam. Following the interrogation, an FIR was filed against him.
The case pertains to the appointment of 269 primary school teachers in government-sponsored and aided schools in Bengal, which has been alleged to be illegal.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Bhattacharya in October last year in connection with the school recruitment case. Later the sleuths also arrested his wife and son, who are also in judicial custody now. Bhattacharya has also been named in the charge sheet filed by the ED.
In December last year, ED had provisionally attached movable properties worth Rs 8 crore belonging to Manik Bhattacharya and his family members. The probe agency also seized cash of over Rs 49.80 crore, gold and jewellery worth Rs 5.08 crore and attached properties worth Rs 56.15 crore in connection to the case. The total seizure and attachment after the action stands at Rs 111 crore.
ED also filed a supplementary prosecution complaint against six accused persons and entities in the Teachers' Recruitment Scam in West Bengal before the Special Court (PMLA) in Kolkata.
