In a significant development in the ongoing West Bengal school jobs recruitment scam, the Calcutta High Court on Friday granted bail to former Education Minister and Trinamool Congress MLA, Partha Chatterjee.
The order was passed by Justice Suvra Ghosh, who imposed a set of strict bail conditions. Mr. Chatterjee has been instructed to:
Surrender his passport
Remain within the jurisdiction of the trial court
Abstain from holding any public office while the trial is in progress
Allegations Against Partha Chatterjee
Mr. Chatterjee, who once held the influential post of Education Minister in West Bengal, is one of the central figures accused in the multi-crore teacher recruitment scam. The case involves illegal appointments of unqualified candidates to various positions in the State Education Department — including roles such as:
Primary School Teachers
Assistant Teachers
Clerical and Non-Teaching Staff
According to investigative agencies, the appointments were allegedly made in exchange for cash bribes, bypassing proper recruitment procedures and merit-based evaluations.
Background: TET Irregularities and Court Intervention
The controversy first gained momentum when several unsuccessful candidates of the Teachers’ Eligibility Test (TET) approached the Calcutta High Court, alleging widespread irregularities in the recruitment process conducted by the West Bengal Board of Primary Education.
On June 8, 2022, the High Court ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the allegations. This was followed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) registering a case on June 24, 2022, focusing on the financial aspects and money laundering trails involved in the alleged scam.
Political Ramifications and Public Reaction
The case has had a seismic political impact in West Bengal, with opposition leaders—particularly from the BJP—calling for accountability, institutional overhaul, and even the abolition of the School Service Commission (SSC), which was responsible for handling the recruitment processes.
In light of the growing tension and public backlash, some BJP MPs have also called for security cover for Mr. Chatterjee, citing potential threats due to the high-profile nature of the case.
Despite the bail order, Mr. Chatterjee remains under intense public and legal scrutiny. The case has become a symbol of the deep-rooted corruption many allege has plagued state-level recruitment and governance processes.
