CBI registers FIR against Bengal minister in teacher recruitment scam

The central investigation agency questions Trinamool Congress leaders on admission irregularities, cattle smuggling

The Central Bureau of Investigation [CBI] on May 19 registered an FIR against West Bengal Minister of State for Education Paresh Chandra Adhikary.

The FIR came after an order by Calcutta High Court on May 17 directing the “CBI of Eastern Region to register a case and start the enquiry immediately” in connection with the appointment of the minister’s daughter as a teacher in the State-run school. 

Charges have been pressed against Mr. Adhikary and his daughter under Section 420 (cheating), 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 7 of The Prevention of Corruption Act 1988.

The CBI’s FIR referred to an order by the High Court and added that as per the order, it is alleged that the merit list for appointment of Assistant Teachers in Class Xl-Xll in the subject of Political Science on the basis of advertisement published in the year 2016 “was altered to accommodate one Ms. Ankita Adhikary, daughter of Shri Paresh Chandra Adhikary, Minister, State of West Bengal while demoting the other candidates in the merit list and thereby giving appointment to the post of Class Xl-Xll teacher to Miss Ankita Adhikary, depriving other eligible candidates from getting appointment on merit”.

Babita Sarkar, who had appeared for the recruitment process for appointment of teachers in 2017 had approached the Court alleging irregularities in the appointment process. The Court in its order pointed out that Babita Sarkar got 77 marks but could not get appointment while the minister’s daughter (Anikta Adhikary) landed in the job with 61 marks.

Paresh Chandra Adhikary was formerly associated with All India Forward Bloc and was a Minister in Left Front Government before he joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in 2018. He was appointed a minister in 2021.

Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay of the Calcutta High Court, who had instructed CBI to start a probe had also directed Mr. Adhikary to appear before the agency by 8 p.m. on May 17. The minister, however, did not turn up that day.