School Jobs for Cash Scam: Calcutta High Court shocked at submission that Abhishek Banerjee has only 3 insurance policies as assets

The Calcutta High Court on Monday expressed its shock after it was told that Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee does not own any assets apart from three insurance policies with the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC). .Single-judge Justice Amrita Sinha pulled up the ED for not properly investigating the school jobs for cash scam case, particularly the involvement of Banerjee in the scam. The bench had during an earlier hearing, ordered the ED to submit a list of assets of various Directors of the company - Leaps & Bounds allegedly owned by Banerjee. The list of assets submitted by the ED were based upon the information supplied to the agency by the advocates representing Banerjee and other directors."The documents show he (Banerjee) only has three insurance policies. He is a Member of Parliament (MP). He doesn't have any bank account? This court is shocked to see only three insurance policies are there and he is an MP. He must be having a bank account where his salary would be credited. So I fail to understand, whether you (ED) are withholding some information or not," the judge observed. The bench also highlighted several lapses on the probe agency's part in its probe against Leaps & Bounds.It noted that the list of assets of the company show some land parcels, factory and even four cars and two goods careers but their details were missing. "There is also one cycle? Is is a tricycle? Had it been a motor cycle there would have been details. Or is it a Harley Davidson? Did you cross check? No," the bench said.Further, it took note of the fact that despite probing the case since June 2022, the ED has failed to make much progress."More than 18 months have elapsed from the day when probe was ordered. But hardly any result can be seen. The investigating agencies ought to take proper steps to introspect and find out the means for proceeding with the probe in the right earnest. The probe ought to be dealt with extreme urgency because the candidates, who have been appointed may not be eligible for imparting education to students of primary schools," the Court remarked. .On April 13, the High Court had ordered a probe by the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into Banerjee's alleged role in irregularities in recruitment of teaching and non-teaching staff at government schools.That order was passed by Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay.The Supreme Court on April 28 ordered the Calcutta High Court Chief Justice to reassign the case from Justice Gangopadhyay's bench to some other bench as the judge had given an interview to ABP Ananda casting aspersions against Banerjee.The matter then got assigned to Justice Sinha who is currently hearing it. .Justice Sinha today noted that the list of assets submitted was incomplete not only with respect to the assets of Banerjee but also with respect to other directors and members of Leaps & Bounds."This would mean that some information has not been supplied or is withheld from the probe agency. But the probe agency too has not bothered to get the details on the ground that it is examining the documents. We don't need a situation wherein the agency is busy examining the details and the accused persons destroy the evidence," the Court told the ED officer who was present before the court. .It further expressed dissatisfaction over the fact that despite naming several persons from the film industry in its earlier reports, the ED in its fresh report named only one person from the movie world."I have serious doubts in the manner and speed in which you are carrying out the investigations. This court cannot go and chase people and bring them to the book. We can only check if laws are applied properly. We will trust officers like you. But you aren't probing it properly. I doubt you will be able to complete the probe ever particularly because of the speed and manner in which your are proceeding," the bench observed. Justice Sinha further went to the extent of saying that she could "smell something" and that "all is not well" with the ongoing probe. .During the hearing, the ED officer told the bench that he would need assistance from some more officers of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) to further probe the case. The Court, therefore, ordered the authorities to consider the "gravity of the offence" and appoint more officers in the Special Investigation Team (SIT) which is probing the scam. .Follow Bar and Bench channel on WhatsAppDownload the Bar and Bench Mobile app for instant access to the latest legal news.