WB teachers' recruitment scam: SC seeks reply from ED on TMC MLA Manik Bhattacharya's plea
Dec 21, 2023
New Delhi [India], December 21 : The Supreme Court has issued notice to the Enforcement Directorate on a bail plea filed by jailed former West Bengal Board of Primary Education chairman Manik Bhattacharya in connection with the primary teacher recruitment scam.
A bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and SC Sharma sought a response from the central investigating agency and tagged the plea along with his another plea.
The apex court in its order on December 15 stated, "Issue notice. Tag with..."
Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Bhattacharya filed an appeal challenging the November 16 order of the Calcutta High Court whereby his bail plea was turned down.
Bhattacharya was arrested by ED on October 11, 2022, for allegedly not cooperating with the investigation.
Earlier, the top court had dismissed Bhattacharya's plea against his arrest by the ED in connection with alleged irregularities in recruitment.
Both the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have been investigating the case. The alleged scam involved appointments as teachers and non-teaching staff in State-run schools via illegal means.
In his plea against the arrest, the ED had told the top court that Bhattacharya was a key person in a money laundering case relating to the alleged irregularities in primary teachers' appointments.
