KalimNews, Kolkata, April 30, 2025 : In a significant development on April 30, 2025, the Calcutta High Court continued its examination of the controversial recruitment of 313 voluntary teachers by the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). The Court, led by Justice Biswajit Basu, reviewed the case concerning the approval of the teachers’ appointments and issued several key directions.
During the hearing, Mr. Joydip Kar, senior counsel for the GTA, informed the Court that the majority of the 313 guest teachers possess the required qualifications, particularly the B.Ed certification. However, he acknowledged that a few teachers may not meet these criteria and emphasized that it is now the responsibility of the GTA to identify and address these discrepancies. The Court has directed the GTA to report on the status of these qualifications in its next hearing, which is scheduled for June 17, 2025, at 2:00 p.m.
Additionally, the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration filed a supplementary affidavit to the affidavit-in-opposition. This affidavit has been added to the case record, and the petitioner has been granted leave to file a reply to it. The parties involved in the case were also instructed to exchange their affidavits related to the applications for the addition of parties (CAN 1 of 2025, CAN 2 of 2025, CAN 3 of 2025, and CAN 4 of 2025) before the next hearing.
The Court also addressed the ongoing investigation into the alleged corruption surrounding the recruitment process. Mr. Nandy, representing the state, reported that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had filed the final report in relation to Bidhannagar North P.S. Case No. 75 of 2024, dated April 10, 2024. The Court instructed the CID to file this report under affidavit in the next hearing.
Furthermore, the Court sought input from the learned Amicus Curiae regarding the possibility of directing further investigation by another agency. The Amicus Curiae suggested that such a direction could be issued if the Court deemed it necessary. In response, Mr. Kishore Datta, the state’s Advocate General, expressed reservations about the assistance being provided by the Amicus Curiae, indicating potential concerns about the role of the appointed counsel.
As part of the ongoing legal process, the Court ordered that all reports in sealed envelopes be returned to the custody of the Registrar General of the Court, to be accessed as needed. The parties were also instructed to act on the server copy of the order, which can be downloaded from the official website of the Court.
The next hearing is set for June 17, 2025, and will likely determine the future course of action regarding the recruitment and appointment of the GTA teachers. The case remains a crucial focal point in the ongoing investigations into recruitment irregularities and alleged corruption within the state’s educational system.
Earlier, the Calcutta High Court ordered and required a prompt decision on whether to suspend the salaries of 313 teachers appointed under the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) following allegations of illegal recruitment.
The petitioners were expecting a follow-up to the hearing on April 7, 2025, along with a similar order to stop the salaries of the 313 teachers, but the court did not issue such an order.
In a strong remark, Justice Biswajit Basu had asked the state’s Advocate General, Kishore Dutta, whether the government would halt the salaries, or if the court itself would take action to do so. The court had given the state 72 hours to decide; failure to take action within this period will result in the court issuing the salary suspension order directly.
This latest development comes after the state government faced a major setback with the cancellation of 26,000 teaching and non-teaching jobs due to similar allegations of corruption in recruitment. The case involving the GTA teachers now further amplifies the pressure on the state, highlighting the deepening crisis in the recruitment system.
The controversy surrounding the recruitment of over 700 teachers in the GTA region without any exams has been ongoing. While the state has claimed that these teachers were made permanent due to their long-term service, it acknowledged that there could have been procedural flaws but denied any corruption. However, the investigation conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) revealed that 313 of these teachers were appointed outside the established norms, with strong allegations of bribery involving prominent political figures.
The CID report implicated several key individuals, including former Education Minister Partha Chatterjee, Trinamool Congress youth leader Trinankur Bhattacharya, and GTA leader Binay Tamang, among others. The accused were allegedly involved in securing these positions in exchange for monetary compensation.
In response to the CID’s findings, Justice Basu had called in the CID’s Deputy Inspector General (DIG) for questioning. He asked why the accused individuals, whose names were known, had not yet been formally notified or summoned under Section 41A of the CrPC (Criminal Procedure Code). The judge questioned the lack of action on the part of the CID, despite the serious allegations. He specifically inquired about why notices had not been issued to key figures such as Binoy Tamang and others named in the investigation.
State counsel Rudra Nandy defended the CID’s progress, stating that the investigation was still ongoing and had not yet reached the stage where such notices were necessary. He pointed out that the FIR had been filed based on an anonymous letter, and the investigation was still in its early stages.
In a letter to the judge, an anonymous government official had claimed that corruption was rampant in the recruitment process in the GTA region. This letter led to the initiation of the CID’s investigation, which has now become a focal point of the ongoing legal and political battle.
The court had instructed the state to take definitive action within 72 hours. If no resolution is reached, the Calcutta High Court will step in and issue orders to stop the teachers’ salaries. The final decision on the matter will be made during the next hearing. The outcome of this case could have far-reaching implications for the state’s recruitment practices and its handling of corruption within public services.
This case is yet another example of the escalating corruption scandal involving recruitment in West Bengal’s educational sector, following the previous cancellations of thousands of jobs. With the CID’s investigation ongoing, more details are expected to emerge, and Thursday’s hearing will likely determine the next steps in addressing the widespread allegations of corruption and illegal recruitment.
