WBSSC scam: Partha Chatterjee's judicial custody extended by 14 days

Kolkata, Nov 14 A special CBI court here on Monday extended the judicial custody of former West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee and six others by 14 days in connection with their alleged involvement in the multi-crore teacher's recruitment scam.

The six others include former Chairman of West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) and ex-VC of University of North Bengal, Subiresh Bhattacharya; former President of West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE), Kalyanmoy Gangopadhyay; and former convener of WBSSC's screening committee, S.P. Sinha, among others.

They will be next produced before the court on November 28.

On Monday, the judge of the special court asked why the CBI sleuths are also not arresting the candidates who got their numbers in the entrance examination increased and got appointment letters by paying money.

"They should also be arrested since they are part of the conspiracy," the judge observed.

The investigating officer for CBI informed the court that out of the 677 candidates already identified on this count, four have been questioned and their statements have been recorded. To this, the judge asked why these four persons have not been taken into custody yet.

The CBI counsel said that as the agency officials are going deeper into the conspiracy, new facts are surfacing.

"CBI is not probing the financial aspect of the conspiracy. It is investigating how the conspiracy was masterminded and who all are involved," the CBI counsel argued.

Earlier in the day, Chatterjee's counsel moved the bail plea and argued that CBI is unnecessarily trying to extend his client's judicial custody.

The CBI counsel opposed the bail plea, claiming that bail at this stage might result in tampering of evidence and influencing the witnesses.

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