Supreme Court Grants Partha Chatterjee Bail in Cash-for-Jobs Scandal

The Supreme Court has granted bail to former West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee, arrested in a money laundering case linked to recruitment irregularities. He will be released by February 1, 2025. The trial court must finalize charges and record vulnerable witnesses' statements before this deadline.

The Supreme Court has provided relief to Partha Chatterjee, former West Bengal education minister, amid ongoing legal proceedings in a money laundering case connected to recruitment irregularities. The bench, led by Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, approved bail for Chatterjee, effective February 1, 2025, while setting stringent deadlines for the trial court.

The directives include deciding on the framing of charges by the end of December 2024 or prior to the commencement of winter break, and the completion of recording vulnerable witnesses' statements by January 2025. Post these conditions, Chatterjee's release on bail will be executed, though his confinement shall not extend beyond February 2025.

Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Chatterjee, urged the court for bail, arguing parity with other accused who are free. Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, on behalf of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), opposed, citing the seriousness of the charges and significant cash recoveries. The case traces back to Chatterjee's arrest by the ED, linked to the West Bengal School Service Commission recruitment scam, with additional probes by the CBI underway.

(With inputs from agencies.)