SSC Scam: Special CBI court granted bail pleas of TMC MLA Paresh Adhikari, his daughter Ankita & others

In a significant development in high-profile School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment scam, several key figures, including Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Paresh Adhikari and his daughter Ankita Adhikari, surrendered before a special CBI court in Alipore, Kolkata on today, seeking bail. The case, involving alleged irregularities in the recruitment for Group C, 9th-10th, and 11th-12th grade teaching posts, also saw former Education Minister Partha Chatterjee’s personal secretary Sukanta Acharya, along with SSC officials Samarjit Acharya and Parna Basu, among others, applying for bail. As per the latest update, the court, grants bail plea for both TMC MLA Paresh Adhikari & his daughter Ankita Adhikari & others.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) recently submitted final chargesheets in the three SSC recruitment scam cases, naming 75 accused individuals, including prominent figures like Partha Chatterjee, former SSC advisor SP Sinha, ex-chairman Subiresh Bhattacharya, Prasanna Roy, and Jiban Saha. On September 3, most of these accused appeared in court as summoned, each requesting bail. The CBI strongly opposed their pleas, arguing that the nature of the corruption has deeply impacted society, with each case—spanning Group C staff, secondary, and higher secondary teacher recruitments—carrying distinct charges of fraud and manipulation. The agency emphasized the need for stringent measures to deter such widespread malpractice.The SSC scam centers on allegations of illegal appointments, where unqualified candidates were allegedly favored through manipulated Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) sheets and inflated scores, depriving deserving aspirants of jobs. The scandal, which surfaced in 2022, led to the termination of thousands of illegally appointed teachers and staff, sparking protests and legal battles. Paresh Adhikari and his daughter Ankita are accused of securing her a teaching position through undue influence, while Partha Chatterjee, a key TMC leader, faces charges of overseeing the rigged recruitment process. The involvement of high-profile political figures has fueled public outrage and political debates in West Bengal.

As per the latest update, the Alipore special CBI court, after hearing arguments from both the accused and the CBI, has grants bail plea for both TMC MLA Paresh Adhikari & his daughter Ankita Adhikari & others. 

The scam’s fallout has not only tarnished West Bengal’s education system but also raised questions about accountability in public recruitment. Families of affected candidates, many of whom lost jobs or opportunities, continue to demand justice, while political opponents of the TMC have seized on the scandal to criticize the state government.As the legal battle unfolds, the SSC recruitment scam remains a flashpoint in West Bengal, highlighting systemic issues in public sector hiring.