HC orders CBI to probe role of TMC Tehatta MLA in cash-for-jobs cases

Kolkata: Calcutta High Court ordered a CBI investigation into the complaints against Trinamool Tehatta MLA Tapas Saha and three others over their alleged involvement in the cash-for-job cases in several government departments. Saha is the second MLA from Nadia to come under CBI scanner. Trinamool Palashipara MLA Manik Bhattacharya, who was the former president of West Bengal Board of Primary Education (WBBPE), is now in judicial custody as an accused in the school recruitment case. Justice Rajasekhar Mantha on Tuesday directed the anti-corruption branch (ACB) investigating officer Anupam Das to hand over the case to the CBI. The ACB had registered a case against Saha in 2022 and had served him a notice under Section 41 A of the CrPC, but did not frame charges or take him into custody.Justice Mantha, while appreciating Das for taking the three others into custody, observed that he got stuck under pressure from those with vested interests when it came to the Tehatta MLA. Nadia sessions court also made a similar observation.Lawyer Tarunjyoti Tiwari had moved the high court seeking a CBI investigation. He submitted that Saha, a prime accused, was not arrested, as a result of which his associates were released on bail. Tiwari had earlier argued for petitioner Usuf Ali Sheikh of Tehatta, who had complained that Saha took Rs 7 lakh from him with the promise of securing a primary teacher job for his son. The petitioner had recorded his statement before the ACB and the magistrate. CBI counsel Billwadal Bhattacharya submitted a report to the HC on Tuesday, stating that it had come across some incriminating documents that warrant an investigation against Saha. Bhattacharya submitted that the ACB was conducting the probe in a matter that was already under investigation by central agencies. He argued that investigation by two agencies might yield contradictory results.Justice Mantha observed that the court wanted the probe to be carried out in a transparent manner, which was more important than the progress of the investigation. The court observed that many genuine aspirants had been harassed due to corruption as is evident from the crores of rupees recovered.