Kolkata, Feb 21 (NationPress) The CBI has unveiled a new charge sheet in the extensive cash-for-school job scandal in West Bengal, presented to a special court in Kolkata on Friday. This charge sheet introduces a clause concerning the penalty for evidence tampering against the main accused, Sujay Krishna Bhadra.

According to informed sources, the charge sheet outlines that Bhadra is charged under Section 238 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), previously known as Section 201 under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which addresses the disappearance of evidence.

It has come to light that the CBI has accused Bhadra of tampering with evidence based on specific leads that confirm his direct involvement in the destruction of both physical and digital evidence.

The investigative agency has provided details on its findings related to this matter.

Additionally, sources indicate that Bhadra faces accusations under various provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and the Information Technology Act, 2000.

Two other individuals, Santanu Bandopadhyay and Arun Hazra, have also been named in the charge sheet as middlemen implicated in the alleged scam.

At present, Bhadra is free on bail, having been granted interim bail by a division bench of the Calcutta High Court the previous week to pursue medical treatment. Earlier, he had been granted bail by another bench concerning a case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is conducting a concurrent investigation into the school-job scandal.

Despite the bail, the division bench has imposed stringent conditions on Bhadra's movements and interactions.

This month, after three unsuccessful attempts, CBI officials successfully obtained voice samples from Bhadra and another accused, Kuntal Ghosh.

The trial regarding the ED-registered case in this alleged scam has commenced at a special Prevention of Money Laundering (PMLA) court in Kolkata.

The ED has identified a total of 53 individuals as accused in their charge sheets, including 29 individuals and 24 corporate entities or trusts.

Notable figures implicated include the former West Bengal Education Minister and Trinamool Congress Secretary General Partha Chatterjee, along with his close associate Arpita Mukherjee, and his son-in-law Kalyanmoy Bhattacharya.

The Babli Chatterjee Memorial Trust, named after Chatterjee's late wife, is also listed as an accused entity in the ED's charge sheet. Allegations suggest that illicit funds were disguised as donations to this trust.

A corporate entity where Bhadra previously served as chief operating officer (COO) has also been implicated in the ED's charge sheet.