Kolkata, Oct 28 (NationPress) A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Kolkata experienced intense verbal confrontations during the proceedings of the School Service Commission (SSC) Group C recruitment case, resulting in disruption within the courtroom.

The atmosphere turned extremely charged following a dispute between the defense attorney of the accused and the CBI representative in a crowded courtroom. Observers noted that the accused’s lawyer reportedly lunged towards the CBI counsel, prompting the latter and other officials from the agency to temporarily vacate the Alipore court.

At the time of the incident, the SSC Group C recruitment case was under discussion, with former Education Department technical officer Rajesh Layek, serving as a witness for the CBI, being interrogated.

The confrontation escalated when a heated disagreement erupted between the CBI’s Special Public Prosecutor and the lawyer representing former West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) President Kalyanmoy Gangopadhyay. The dispute intensified in front of the presiding judge, leading to a brief suspension of the session.

It is important to note that during the time when accusations of corruption in the SSC recruitment process emerged, Rajesh Layek was the technical officer tasked with issuing appointment letters to selected candidates.

During Tuesday’s proceedings, as the CBI attorney questioned Layek, Gangopadhyay’s lawyer posed counter-questions, igniting a fierce exchange between both parties. The disagreement quickly escalated into chaos, forcing the CBI's special counsel to exit the courtroom as the accused’s lawyers approached aggressively.

The court had no choice but to pause the proceedings temporarily. Some senior lawyers present characterized the incident as “unprecedented” in a courtroom environment. Following the restoration of order, government lawyers returned, allowing the hearing to continue.

On the previous day, CBI witness Rajesh Layek indicated to the court that during the Covid-19 lockdown, appointment letters were hastily issued to various high-profile candidates as part of the alleged SSC recruitment scandal.

Layek disclosed that applications from certain candidates were classified as “high-profile cases”, leading to the issuance of appointment letters during the lockdown, circumventing standard procedures.

This teacher recruitment scandal has significantly impacted West Bengal politics over the last three years. Numerous prominent individuals, including former Education Minister Partha Chatterjee, Trinamool Congress MLA Jiban Krishna Saha, and several senior Education Department officials, have been detained by federal investigative agencies for their suspected roles in extensive corruption and manipulation of OMR sheets to obtain teaching positions in exchange for monetary compensation.

Both the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) are conducting independent probes into the multi-crore recruitment scandal that has profoundly disturbed the state's educational framework.