School recruitment scam: SC declines early listing of state's plea
Statesman | 3 June 2023
The Supreme Court on Friday declined an early listing of the West Bengal government’s plea against the high court’s order allowing the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Directorate of Enforcement to investigate allegations of irregularities in the recruitment of the teachers in schools in the state.
Declining the listing of the matter early next week, a vacation Bench of Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice KV Viswanathan ordered the listing of the petition on 3 July, soon after the opening of the court after its ongoing summer vacation.
Meanwhile, the Bench asked advocate Sunil Fernandes, appearing for the Bengal government to take an adjournment of the hearing of the matter before the high court. Asking “What is the urgency?”, Justice Dhulia told Fernandes: “You can always tell the high court that we will next hear it on 3 July and till then… (seek an adjournment by the HC).
This is mentioning we do not have the files.” As Fernandes said that they will be in difficulty, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was present through a video conferencing, in connection with some other matter, objected to it, saying how could the state be in difficulty or aggrieved by an order impacting an individual.
On Fernandes’ plea: “We need protection, otherwise, CBI and ED will proceed,” the Solicitor General said, “He is appearing for the state of West Bengal, how can he (the state) be arrested …” In the face of the opposition by the Solicitor General today, Fernandes asked if he was opposing the listing of the state government’s petition.
Fernandes said that if the SG would understand the contours of my submissions, he would not get shocked. The vacation bench asked him “Mr Fernandes they have dismissed your review isn’t it? ”