As a plethora of scams continued to rock the Mamata Banerjee dispensation, two senior Trinamool Congress leaders including a junior minister a and Trinamool Congress national working committee member were on Thursday subjected to intensive grilling by the Central Bureauof Investigation.
After remaining at large for two days Minister of State for Education Paresh Adhikari surrendered before the central agency for his alleged role in giving out-of-turn appointment to his own daughter in a government school by influencing the School Service Commission.
Adhikari's grilling came hours after his senior Cabinet colleague and State Industry Minister Partho Chatterjee was subjected to about three-and-a-half hours questioning by the CBI on large scale irregularities in SSC recruitment process.
Chatterjee --- the then Education Minister when the scams took place--- was on Wednesday questioned by the CBI. He allegedly ducked most of the questions or gave “roundabout answers,” Agency sources said adding he could be summoned again.
Hundreds of people --- the figure may run into thousands as per claims--- were given appointments through back door allegedly in lieu of favours in various categories (from secondary level to highersecondary level teachers to Group D and C posts) of jobs by passing the successful candidates whose names were figured in the merit lists.
Even as the successful yet deprived candidates agitated on the streets the Calcutta High Court not only ordered dismissal of hundreds of the illegally appointed staff but also ordered filing of criminal cases against the politicians and the officials in charge of the entireprocess.
The Court of Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay took the issue so seriously that it responded to a late evening petition on Wednesday directing the Central forces in the midnight to take charge of the SSC building so as to prevent tampering of electronic and other evidences. The entry of all staff, save a few top officers had been prohibited in the building till Friday noon.
The high drama on Adhikari ended on Thursday evening when the Court directed him to surrender before the CBI or else face contempt proceedings. The Minister flew in from North Bengal and reported at the Agency officer for interrogation. He was being interrogated when last report was filed.
Meanwhile, after a Division Bench rejected his prayer for a respite from appearance Partha Chatterjee on Thursday appealed before the Supreme Court and his petition is likely to be heard on Friday noon, sources said.
In a related TMC strongman and party national working committee member
Anubrata Mandal was on Thursday grilled for more than four hours by the CBI in cattle smuggling case. Mandal, also the party's Birbhum district president, had been evading appearance before the Agency forthe past several months.
According to sources Mandal who was asked 36 questions gave misleading replies to many of them. The CBI officers have asked him to return with his bank details and income tax return files, sources said.