Supreme Court Stops Investigation of Bengal Officers After 26,000 Teachers Lose Jobs

The Supreme Court stayed the Calcutta High Court order directing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe into the role of West Bengal government officials in an alleged teacher recruitment scam. The order had invalidated the appointment of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff made by the School Service Commission (SSC) in state-run and state-aided schools. The state government challenged the order, arguing that the high court had cancelled the appointments arbitrarily and failed to appreciate the ramifications. They stated that the cancellation led to the immediate termination of teaching and non-teaching staff, causing a standstill in the education system.

The Supreme Court, in response to the state government’s petition, decided to stay the high court’s direction for further CBI investigation against state government officials. The bench also considered the impact of the cancelled appointments on the education system. Prior to the Supreme Court’s decision, the Calcutta High Court had directed the CBI to conduct further investigations with regard to the creation of supernumerary posts to accommodate illegal appointments by the state government. The high court had also indicated that the CBI could consider custodial interrogation if necessary.