The Supreme Court on Tuesday set aside a Calcutta High Court direction for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into a decision taken by the West Bengal State Cabinet to create supernumerary posts in State-run and government aided schools.
A Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna and Justice PV Sanjay Kumar stated that the other directions in the Calcutta High Court judgment into the now-terminated appointment of 25,753 teachers and staffers in West Bengal’s State-run and aided schools would remain unaffected.
CJI Sanjiv Khanna and Justice PV Sanjay Kumar
On April 3, the Supreme Court had upheld the Calcutta High Court order cancelling 24,000 appointments of teaching and non-teaching staff by the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) in 2016 in connection with the school jobs for cash scam.
The bench had refused to interfere with the High Court decision after noting that the appointments were vitiated by manipulation and fraud.
However, the Bench in that judgment had added that the candidates already appointed need not hand over the salary given so far.
On April 8, the top court directed that the direction for CBI probe into supernumerary posts would stand cancelled.