Partha Chatterjee ordered OMR sheet destruction, CBI tells Court in Bengal SSC scam

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) informed the court on Thursday that former West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee ordered the destruction of Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) sheets related to the state recruitment scam. Opposing his bail plea, the agency stated that the removal of these documents was a deliberate act to erase evidence. This is the first time the CBI has publicly admitted this information. Chatterjee, who was arrested in July 2022, remains in custody, facing corruption charges linked to alleged irregularities in school appointments.

The CBI claimed that investigators gathered this information from witness statements and documentary evidence. According to the agency, the scam involved widespread manipulation of recruitment processes, with the destruction of OMR sheets playing a key role in concealing the irregularities. The court was also informed that a list of 321 candidates, recovered from Bikash Bhavan’s warehouse, was exchanged between Chatterjee and former West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) Chairman Manik Bhattacharya. The agency stated that several political figures were named in the list and that further investigation was required.

Following the court proceedings, political parties reacted strongly to the revelations. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Left Front accused the ruling Trinamool Congress of protecting those involved. They demanded a broader investigation to determine if Chatterjee acted alone or if higher authorities were involved. No official response has been issued by the Trinamool Congress regarding the latest CBI claims.

Chatterjee had earlier secured bail in a separate case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in December 2023 but remains in custody due to the ongoing CBI probe. The agency emphasized in court that granting bail at this stage could hinder further investigation. The court has reserved its decision on his bail plea, and further hearings are expected.