In a recent development, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal filed by Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and Member of Parliament (MP) Abhishek Banerjee against the Calcutta High Court’s order dismissing his plea to recall an earlier order allowing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to interrogate him in the West Bengal School Job Scam case. The appeal will be heard on May 26 by a vacation bench comprising Justice Aniruddha Bose and Justice Sanjay Karol.
Background:
Abhishek Banerjee, who is a prominent leader within the ruling TMC party, had sought to challenge the order passed by Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay on April 13. The order had granted liberty to the CBI and ED to question Banerjee and another individual, Kuntal Ghosh, in relation to alleged irregularities in the recruitment of teaching and non-teaching staff in government-sponsored and aided schools in West Bengal.
Senior Advocate AM Singhvi, representing Abhishek Banerjee, argued before the Supreme Court that the investigating agencies had called Banerjee for questioning while he was campaigning outside the state in Darjeeling. Singhvi requested the court to grant a suitable date for the hearing and also appealed against the costs imposed on his client.
Calcutta High Court’s Order:
Last week, the Calcutta High Court, in a strongly worded order, dismissed Abhishek Banerjee’s plea. The court stated that as a prominent leader within the ruling party, Banerjee should not shy away from the investigation process. It further remarked that Banerjee’s attempts to oppose the investigation in the West Bengal School Job Scam case were evident, and instead, he should subject himself to scrutiny and come out clean. The court also noted the alleged backing of the accused by the state machinery, particularly the police.
Justice Gangopadhyay had originally ordered the questioning of Banerjee and Kuntal Ghosh based on a petition concerning the recruitment scam. The judge considered a letter written by expelled Trinamool leader Kuntal Ghosh, in which he claimed to be under pressure to implicate Banerjee in the scam. Banerjee, in his public speeches, had also alleged that incarcerated individuals were being coerced into implicating him in the case. The Supreme Court briefly stayed the April 13 order on April 17 but later directed the Acting Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court to reassign the matter to another judge on April 28.
Conclusion:
The Supreme Court’s decision to list Abhishek Banerjee’s appeal against the CBI notice in the School Jobs Scam case on May 26 indicates a significant development in the ongoing legal proceedings. The appeal seeks to challenge the High Court’s dismissal of Banerjee’s plea and raises concerns about the investigation process. This case has garnered attention due to its political implications and the involvement of a high-profile TMC leader. The outcome of the Supreme Court’s hearing will determine the future course of the investigation and its impact on Abhishek Banerjee’s political career.
