Teachers recruitment 'scam': Single judge bench of Calcutta HC orders removal of ED officer

Kolkata (West Bengal): Justice Amrita Sinha, who is heading a single bench of the Calcutta High Court that is looking into cases pertaining to the alleged teachers' recruitment scam, on Friday ordered the immediate removal of an officer of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officer leading the probe into one of these cases.

The officer concerned by identified as Mithilesh Kumar Mishra.

The officer's name was mentioned in the summons issued by the ED to Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee. In what was the latest summons issued to him in the case, the TMC leader was asked to appear before the central agency on October 3.

While seeking the removal of the ED officer, Justice Sinha asked the central probe agency to ensure that the scheduled interrogation and investigation of October 3 are not disrupted.

"Mithilesh Kumar Mishra should be removed as soon as possible and the investigation should be expedited by appointing competent officers. He is incompetent in (carrying out) this investigation. The court feels that he lacks confidence," the court order to the ED director read.

Senior advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya said the court came to a considered judgment that the ED officer probing the case "lacks confidence".

"The honourable court was satisfied, after interacting with the investigating officer, that he lacks the confidence in carrying out this investigation in an appropriate manner. The court, mentioned, however, that the schedule for the investigation as fixed by the Enforcement Directorate (for October 8) should not be disturbed and they should carry forward the investigation with urgency," Bhattacharya told ANI.

While the ED asked Abhishek Banerjee to appear before the ED in its latest summons to him, the TMC general secretary cited his unavailability on that day, saying he would be preoccupied with a scheduled protest by his party in Delhi.

"We have issued summons (to Abhishek) and are investigating (the case). A logical conclusion will emerge in our 10th report. We have assigned two IOs (Investigating officers) while three separate teams have been formed for conducting separate investigations in the matter," the lawyer appearing for the ED said. (ANI)