Kolkata Special PMLA Court to Likely Frame Charges in School Job Scandal on Monday

Kolkata, Dec 21 (NationPress) The charge framing process in the case initiated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) concerning the cash-for-school job scandal in West Bengal is likely to be finalized at a special court operating under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Kolkata on December 23.

Nonetheless, a potential delay may arise if the ED fails to ensure the physical presence of all individuals identified as accused in the subsequent charge sheets during the charge framing.

As per sources, two accused individuals, Sujay Krishna Bhadra and Kalyanmoy Bhattacharya, who is the son-in-law of former West Bengal education minister and Trinamool Congress secretary general Partha Chatterjee, are currently uncertain about their attendance in court.

The uncertainties regarding Bhattacharya’s presence stem from his current residence abroad with his wife, Sohini Bhattacharya Chatterjee, who is also the daughter of Chatterjee.

However, it has been reported that Bhattacharya's local attorney has already informed the court of arrangements made for him to return to India and appear in court on Monday.

Similarly, the uncertainties surrounding Bhadra's presence are due to his recent history of absenting himself from court on medical grounds.

Currently, he is under the custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is conducting a simultaneous investigation into the school job case and has recently confirmed Bhadra's arrest.

Among the 54 individuals identified as accused by the ED in this case, there are 29 individuals and 25 entities, including corporates and trusts.

According to established protocol, all 29 individual accused must be present in person when the charge sheet is framed, while any representative of the accused entities must also be present.

Once the charge framing concludes, the trial proceedings will commence, with indications that the special court may conduct the trial on a daily basis.