SSC scam | Calcutta High Court refuses to hear Minister’s plea seeking stay on Order to appear before CBI

The division Bench refused to hear the plea, saying that since the appeal has not been affirmed or filed in the registry of the court, it cannot hear the prayer

A division Bench of the Calcutta High Court on May 18 refused to hear an appeal of West Bengal Minister Partha Chatterjee challenging an Order of a single Bench that directed him to appear before the CBI in connection with the School Service Commission's (SSC) appointments scam.

The single Bench of Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay directed Mr. Chatterjee, who was the State Education Minister when the alleged appointments were made, to appear before the Central Bureau of Investigation at its office here before 6 p.m. on Wednesday. He is now the Industry, Commerce and Parliamentary Affairs Minister of the Mamata Banerjee Cabinet.

Mr. Chatterjee's lawyer moved the division Bench presided by Justice Harish Tandon seeking a stay on the single Bench order that directed the Minister to appear before the CBI.

The division Bench refused to hear the plea, saying that since the appeal has not been affirmed or filed in the registry of the court, it cannot hear the prayer.

Earlier in the day, another division Bench of the High Court upheld orders of a single Bench that had directed the CBI to inquire into alleged illegal appointments given by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education on recommendations by the SSC.

Immediately after the division Bench Order, Justice Gangopadhyay directed Chatterjee to appear before the Central Bureau of Investigation at its office in Kolkata before 6 p.m. of Wednesday in connection with the SSC appointments scam. The judge said he expects Mr. Chatterjee to step down as Minister in the interest of justice.