Kolkata: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday registered an FIR against former Minister of State (Education) Paresh Adhikari and his daughter in the SSC recruitment scam. The CBI has filed charges of criminal conspiracy (IPC section 120A) and cheating and dishonesty (section 420) in the FIR. Investigating officers have asked them to cooperate. Even after a CBI summons, Adhikari initially did not cooperate with the central agency and, for a brief period of time, even 'disappeared' on his way to Kolkata on Wednesday.
Originally the CBI wanted to know from the state minister for education how his daughter landed the job, as alleged by a candidate. The aspirant in question had sought to know how Ankita Adhikari, the daughter of the former MoS, landed the teaching job without securing a place on the merit list or appearing for the personality test.
"The minister was supposed to appear before our officers by 3 pm as per the Calcutta High Court order, but he did not. We have lodged an FIR against him and his daughter," the investigating officers noted. Notably, Adhikari missed the 3 pm deadline set by the central agency on Thursday, appearing a few hours later after his lawyer submitted that he would fly to Kolkata from Coochbehar in the evening.
Also read: Kolkata: Ex-Minister Partha Chatterjee appears before CBI in relation to SSC recruitment scam
Meanwhile, an unusual stand was taken on Wednesday by the single judge bench of Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay, who ordered the deployment of security forces for the School Service Commission building's security on Wednesday at midnight. Gangopadhyay said that he feared vital documents associated with the case were going to be tampered with, and further noted that the security forces would be charged with securing the SSC building.
The whole issue took steam at around 8.30 pm on Wednesday when the chairman of the School Service Commission, Siddhartha Majumdar, resigned. The petitioners immediately moved the court apprehending that the vital documents pertaining to the case might be tampered with. Giving in to the apprehension, Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay called for a special session at 11 pm on Wednesday night following permission from the Chief Justice.
The petitioners apprehended that all evidence could be destroyed overnight after the chairman's resignation. An appeal was lodged in the High Court expressing this concern. The petitioners also requested for immediate hearing of the matter. Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay granted the petitioners' demands and handed over the security of the SSC building to the CRPF.
