Synopsis
The CBI is investigating the cash-for-school job case in West Bengal, collecting handwriting samples from accused middleman Arun Hazra and six sub-agents. They aim to link these samples to diaries detailing extensive financial transactions related to the alleged scam.Key Takeaways
- CBI collects handwriting samples from Arun Hazra and six sub-agents.
- Samples will be matched with entries in seized diaries.
- Hazra allegedly transferred Rs 39 crore to prime suspect Bhadra.
- Charges include significant sums for various teaching and non-teaching positions.
- Trial proceedings have commenced at the Kolkata PMLA court.
Kolkata, March 26 (NationPress) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is delving into the cash-for-school job scandal in West Bengal and has obtained the handwriting samples from an accused intermediary and six of his associates to advance their investigation.
According to sources, these handwriting samples will be compared with entries in some diaries seized by the investigators, which include certain details related to the financial transactions involved in the alleged scam.
The middleman in custody, whose handwriting samples are now in possession of the investigators, is Arun Hazra. He has already been identified as a suspect in the charge sheet submitted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is conducting a concurrent investigation into the school job scandal.
In addition, handwriting samples of six of Hazra’s associates have also been gathered.
Sources further indicated that according to the entries in the seized diaries, Hazra transferred a staggering amount of approximately Rs 39 crore to another primary suspect in the case, Sujay Krishna Bhadra. This money was reportedly collected from qualified candidates seeking employment in state-run schools.
Out of this total, approximately Rs 12 crore was earmarked for primary teacher positions, Rs 15 crore for Group-D non-teaching staff, Rs 9 crore for Group-C non-teaching roles, and Rs 3 crore for other vacancies.
Previously, the CBI had also secured voice samples from both Hazra and Bhadra in connection with the case.
Last week, the “testimony” of Kalyanmoy Bhattacharya, the son-in-law of the former West Bengal education minister and Trinamool Congress secretary general, Partha Chatterjee, was recorded at the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's court in Kolkata.
Following that, the court granted his request to be exempted from being an accused in the case. Meanwhile, Chatterjee remains incarcerated, although most other individuals implicated in the case are currently out on bail.
The trial process related to this matter has commenced at the special PMLA court in Kolkata. While Chatterjee has been granted bail in the ED-registered case, he continues to be behind bars due to a separate case filed against him by the CBI.
