Alleged Irregularities in Municipal Corporation Recruitment Spark Controversy
In a startling turn of events, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has carried out extensive searches across 20 locations in West Bengal, uncovering a shocking cash-for-jobs scam plaguing the state’s municipal corporations. The raids, conducted on Wednesday, specifically targeted various municipal corporation offices and properties of individuals mentioned in the FIR. This investigation was initiated following the orders of the Calcutta High Court on April 22, 2024. The CBI is working in conjunction with the Enforcement Directorate to investigate the ongoing teachers’ recruitment scams.
Image Source: Prem Singh/The Telegraph
The focus of the investigation lies on the appointments of clerks, sweepers, peons, and drivers in multiple municipalities throughout Bengal. Notable municipalities under scrutiny include Panihati, Halisahar, Titagarh, Shantipur, Saltlake, Chuchura, Barahnagar, Taki, and Dumdum. A major breakthrough in the case revolves around the initiation of legal proceedings against Ayan Sil and his company, ABS Infozone Pvt Ltd. They are accused of tampering with the scores of job applicants, thereby distorting the evaluation process. ABS Infozone Pvt Ltd was responsible for printing and evaluating OMR sheets used in the assessment process.
During the interrogation of Ayan Sil, it was revealed that he, along with his company, collected an astonishing amount of over Rs 200 crore from aspirants in exchange for guaranteeing their appointments in various municipalities across Bengal. Further investigation unveiled a complex web of corruption involving the company director, high-ranking officials, public servants, and political leaders. They allegedly conspired to manipulate the OMR sheets, ensuring the illegal appointments of undeserving candidates in return for monetary gains.
The scandal has become a contentious issue between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led state government and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). While the CBI focuses on the criminal aspects of the scam, the Enforcement Directorate is tracing the money trail to expose potential financial improprieties in school recruitment.
The scope of recruitment irregularities extends beyond the teachers’ recruitment scam, which has been jointly investigated by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate. Allegations suggest that corruption infiltrated the hiring process for Group C and Group D teachers in state-run schools. Lower-scoring candidates were reportedly awarded higher ranks, leading to numerous public interest litigations being filed in the Calcutta High Court.
Further examination of documents has revealed that the scam’s reach extends to various appointments made by multiple municipalities, including Kanchrapara, New Barackpur, Kamarhati, Titagarh, Baranagar, Halisahar, South Dum Dum (N), Dum Dum, Taki, and others in the state. The positions involved a wide range of roles, from laborers, sweepers, clerks, and peons to ambulance attendants, pump sanitary assistants, divers, operators, and helpers.
The TMC’s apprehension regarding the CBI has been challenged by Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the opposition in the West Bengal Assembly. However, TMC leader Saugata Roy dismissed their concerns, stating that they are not intimidated by the CBI. He emphasized that Abhishek Banerjee, a prominent TMC leader, has fully cooperated with the Enforcement Directorate and is willing to face the consequences if found guilty. Nevertheless, the TMC faced a setback when a key witness, Sujay Krishna Bhadra, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the school recruitment scam, claimed to work for Abhishek Banerjee. Bhadra’s statement added to the embarrassment faced by the TMC.
The Calcutta High Court’s decision to order a CBI investigation into the alleged irregularities in job hiring at municipal bodies in the state was prompted by the Enforcement Directorate’s discovery of potential recruitment scams during their investigation into the teachers’ job scam in 2021.
As the CBI’s raids and ongoing investigations continue, they are exposing a widespread network of corruption, unveiling the deeply entrenched issue of recruitment irregularities across West Bengal’s municipalities. The unfolding scandal has the potential to have significant implications for key individuals involved, impacting the state’s political landscape.
