CBI arrests former West Bengal Secondary Education Board president in SSC recruitment scam

Kalyanmoy Ganguly was the president of WBBSE during the period when alleged irregularities took place

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday arrested the former president of the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) Kalyanmoy Ganguly in the School Service Commission recruitment scam. Mr. Ganguly was the president of WBBSE for almost ten years and also during the period when alleged irregularities took place. Recently the CBI turned the heat by questioning him on several occasions and the State government removed him from the post of president of WBBSE.

Earlier in July this year the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested former State Education Minister Partha Chatterjee after huge cash was recovered from his aide’s residence during searches in the recruitment scam. The former Trinamool heavyweight has been behind bars ever since. Recently the CBI approached a city court seeking Mr. Chatterjee’s Custody.

The CBI in August this year arrested Santi Prasad Sinha and Ashok Saha who were part of a five-member committee supervising recruitment by the School Service commission. The Calcutta High Court earlier this year on several occasions had directed the CBI to file FIRs against the officials involved in the recruitment relating to the Group C and Group D posts and also in the appointment of teachers in Class IX and Class X in the State-run schools. Questions on the role of Kalyanmoy Ganguly, who had been a key figure in the State’s Education set up was raised by a committee headed by Justice (retd.) R.K. Bag which looked into the allegations of the recruitment in Group C and Group D staff.

“Santi Prasad Sinha handed over fake recommendation letters to  Kalyanmoy Ganguly after the expiry of the panel. Kalyanmoy Ganguly gave instruction to Mr. Rajesh Layek, the Technical Officer of the Board for preparation of appointment letters on the basis of fake recommendation letters, bypassing the normal chain of hierarchy and without sending those recommendation letters to the Appointment Section of Board of Secondary Education, West Bengal,” an FIR filed by the CBI had stated earlier this year alleging irregularities on the part of the officials including Mr. Ganguly.