Cash-for-jobs case: SC grants bail to ex-WB minister Partha Chatterjee with rider

New Delhi, Aug 18 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Monday granted bail to former West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee in teacher recruitment case investigated by the CBI but said he would be released after the trial court records statements of material witnesses.

A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh noted Chatterjee spent nearly three years in jail and his continued incarceration would be a "travesty of justice".

The top court directed the charges to be framed within four weeks under the Prevention of Corruption Act against public servants with the statements being recorded within two months.

It also granted bail to Subires Bhattacharya and Shantiprasad Sinha in the case.

Chatterjee has been an MLA since 2001 and was a minister in West Bengal from 2011 to 2022 holding the education portfolio in the state since 2016.

He was accused of being involved in a racket effecting illegal appointments of unmerited candidates to the posts of primary school teachers, assistant school teachers and other posts in the education department.

After several unsuccessful candidates in the teachers eligibility test conducted by the West Bengal Board of Primary Education moved the Calcutta High Court, the latter ordered a CBI probe into the allegations on June 8, 2022.

The CBI registered an FIR the next day and the ED lodged a case on June 24, 2022 against several office-bearers of the state education department.

The agencies conducted a raid at Chatterjee's premises on July 22, 2022 and claimed to have seized incriminating documents relating to 12 immovable properties in the name of Chatterjee's close associates and documents showing the appointment of Group D staff.

Searches conducted in the residential premises of a close aide of Chatterjee further led to the seizure of Rs 21.9 crore in cash and gold jewellery worth over Rs 76 lakh.

The trial court rejected Chatterjee's bail application on August 3, 2023, and the high court turned down his plea for relief on April 30. PTI PKS AMK AMK