Kolkata, Nov 10 (NationPress) Former West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee is on the verge of being released from judicial custody, as the deposition of the eighth and final witness in the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) three School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment cases is anticipated to conclude today.

Following a Supreme Court directive, Chatterjee -- who received bail from the Calcutta High Court -- can be freed from the Presidency Correctional Home only after the testimonies of all eight witnesses across the three cases are completed. With this process nearing its end, his legal team is expected to approach the CBI's special court in Alipore to secure his release, marking over three years since his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in July 2022.

Should the court grant the release order, it will be sent to the correctional home officials, who will then relay the directive to the private hospital in East Jadavpur where Chatterjee is currently receiving treatment. If medical clearance is granted, the former Minister could potentially walk free either later today or on Tuesday, according to sources.

Chatterjee was arrested in July 2022 due to his alleged involvement in the multi-crore SSC teacher recruitment scam. At the time of his arrest, the ED uncovered Rs 20 crore in cash from the residence of his close associate, Arpita Mukherjee, who was also apprehended. Additionally, the agency seized documents pertaining to 12 immovable properties linked to his associates, as well as paperwork concerning the appointments of Group-D staff in government-aided schools.

In September of this year, the Calcutta High Court granted him bail after an extended period of custody under the ED and subsequently the CBI. However, his release faced delays due to a Supreme Court ruling issued on August 18. A bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and N. Kotiswar Singh had approved bail in a separate CBI case related to recruitment irregularities, but stipulated that his release was contingent upon the completion of witness examinations within two months.

The apex court also mandated the framing of charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act within four weeks and the completion of witness statements within two months.

The conditions of the High Court's bail prohibit Chatterjee from holding any public office during the trial, except for his current position as an MLA, and require him to surrender his passport, attend all court hearings, and report weekly to the investigating officer.

He is also barred from leaving the trial court’s jurisdiction without permission, contacting witnesses, or engaging in any criminal activities. Furthermore, he must provide his mobile phone number to both the court and the investigating agency.