ED files prosecution complaint in West Bengal teachers’ recruitment scam case

School teachers and non-teaching staff whose jobs were terminated as per directions of Calcutta High Court gather in Kolkata and write petitions to Supreme Court on April 24. | Photo Credit: DEBASISH BHADURI

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a prosecution complaint against two persons, including an alleged middleman, and 106 companies controlled by him, in connection with the alleged assistant teachers’ recruitment scam in West Bengal.

Among those named are the alleged middleman Prasanna Kumar Roy and Santi Prasad Sinha, the then advisor of the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC). On Thursday, the agency said a special court took cognisance of the prosecution complaint on April 18.

The ED probe is based on two first information reports (FIRs) registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation, alleging illegal appointment of ineligible, unlisted and low-ranked candidates as assistant teachers for Classes 9-12, thereby depriving the deserving and genuine candidates of employment.

The agency said the CBI chargesheets revealed that 2,081 (1,135 for Classes 9 and 10 and 946 for Classes 11 and 12) candidates were appointed or illegally recommended for the post of assistant teacher by some WBSSC officials in criminal conspiracy with others.

The ED had earlier arrested Mr. Roy on February 19 for alleged collection of money and details from the candidates and Mr. Sinha on April 1. Both of them are currently in judicial custody. The agency had also attached properties worth ₹230.60 crore held by Mr. Roy and Mr. Sinha “in the name of limited liability partnership firms/companies” allegedly controlled and operated by Mr. Roy.