School jobs case: Calcutta HC cautions Bengal govt for delaying nod to begin trial

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday expressed its ire over the indefinite delay by the West Bengal Chief Secretary in granting approval for initiating trial against state government employees named as accused in the multi-crore cash-for-school-jobs case.

The division bench of Justice Arijit Banerjee and Justice Apurba Sinha Ray said that although June 7 was the deadline for the Chief Secretary's office to communicate to the court the time by when the approval will be given, the communication has not come yet though nearly a month has passed since then.

The bench noted that although the requisite approval has come from the office of West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose, formalities for beginning the trial could not be initiated as there has been no communication on this matter from the office of the Chief Secretary.

The bench on Wednesday set a deadline of three more weeks for the Chief Secretary to reply in the matter.

Noting that the court wants a quick reply in this matter, the bench said no further extension will be granted and necessary actions will follow in case of non-compliance.