Calcutta High Court Denies Bail to Ayan Sil in Recruitment Scandal
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Synopsis
The Calcutta High Court has denied Ayan Sil's bail plea in the municipalities recruitment scandal in West Bengal, where he is accused of facilitating jobs for money. The CBI claims that ongoing investigations could be compromised if bail is granted.
Key Takeaways
- Calcutta High Court denies bail to Ayan Sil.
- Sil is implicated in a multi-crore recruitment scandal.
- CBI argues ongoing investigation could be hindered.
- Only one charge sheet filed against the 17 municipalities.
- Estimated scam size is approximately Rs 200 crore.
Kolkata, March 19 (NationPress) The Calcutta High Court has denied the bail application of private promoter Ayan Sil concerning the extensive municipalities recruitment scandal in West Bengal.
Sil, who is also implicated in the significant cash-for-school job scandal in West Bengal, was previously granted bail by a different bench of the High Court. However, he remains incarcerated due to the ongoing investigation led by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) regarding the municipalities’ recruitment case.
Following this, Sil approached the division bench comprising Justice Debangshu Basak and Justice Smita Das with his bail request in the municipalities’ recruitment matter.
Nonetheless, with the division bench dismissing the bail plea, the likelihood of Sil’s release has diminished significantly for now. On Wednesday, the CBI's attorney contended in court that the investigative team possesses substantial evidence indicating Sil's involvement in providing jobs to ineligible candidates in several municipalities for monetary gain.
The CBI’s lawyer further argued that granting bail to Sil at this juncture could hinder the ongoing investigation, which is not yet complete.
In response, Sil’s attorney highlighted that only one of the 17 municipalities under scrutiny has had a charge sheet filed against it, arguing that there is no justification for keeping Sil in custody while the investigation continues.
However, the division bench sided with the CBI's arguments and subsequently denied the bail application.
Sil was apprehended by ED officials in the school jobs case in March 2023, during which several documents were seized from his home revealing irregularities in the municipalities’ recruitment process.
He has been indicted in both the ED and the CBI cases concerning recruitment irregularities, with allegations of orchestrating job placements in at least 17 municipalities in West Bengal for a fee. The total number of illicit recruitments across these municipalities is reported to be 1,821.
According to estimates from central agency officials, the total magnitude of the municipalities’ recruitment irregularities scandal is approximately Rs 200 crore. The majority of the 17 municipalities involved in these irregularities are located in the North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas districts.
