Teacher recruitment scam: Calcutta HC imposes Rs 2L penalty on Manik Bhattacharya

Kolkata, Jan 16 (IANS) A single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court on Monday imposed a penalty of Rs 2 lakh on Trinamool Congress legislator and former president of West Bengal Board of Primary Education (WBBPE), Manik Bhattacharya, for his alleged involvement in the multi-crore teacher recruitment scam in West Bengal.

Bhattacharya is presently in judicial custody. While imposing the fine on Bhattacharya, Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay observed that he wondered how such a person could be the head of WBBPE.

Justice Gangopadhyay also directed that a notice of the financial penalty be served to Bhattacharya at the Presidency Central Correctional Home, where he is housed now. He also said that the former WBBPE president will have to arrange for depositing the penalty amount in the court within 15 days from the day the notice is served to him.

Justice Gangopadhyay gave this verdict while hearing a petition filed by Mala Rani Pal, who appeared for the entrance examination for recruiting primary teachers way back in 2014.

In her petition, Pal alleged that she is yet to be informed whether she qualified in the examination. She also alleged that since she was not aware of her status in 2014, she could not appear for similar tests in 2016 and 2020, following which her age limit expired.

"Every examinee has the right to know the results of the examination. But unfortunately, this did not happen in this case because the WBBPE was headed by such a person," Justice Gangopadhyay observed while ordering the financial penalty.

The matter will be next heard on January 30.