The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has asked for the records of the chairmen and vice chairmen of Panihati municipality whose tenures were between 2014 and 2021 as part of its ongoing investigation into a municipal recruitment scam.
In a recent revelation, it has emerged that individuals holding various positions within municipal bodies, including the chairman and vice chairman, have become the focus of a CBI investigation. The aim is to discover their identities, addresses, and related information.
This investigation was initiated after local authorities, specifically various municipal councils, sent a comprehensive email containing all relevant information to the CBI on 7 October.
This information included details about officials from 24 different municipalities who were already under scrutiny for irregularities in their hiring practices. The CBI’s investigation has now expanded to include Panihati Municipality, following previous inquiries into Barasat Municipal Corporation and Howrah Municipal Corporation.
The Central agency has conducted searches at the residences of former chairmen of several municipalities, including Baranagar, Kamarhati, and Taki. The primary focus of the investigation is on allegations of corruption in the hiring of primary school teachers within these municipalities.
The larger web of corruption was uncovered during a previous investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into irregular hiring practices. Authorities have also found evidence of job positions being exchanged for financial gain in multiple municipalities, including Kanchrapara, New Barrackpore, Titagarh, Barahanagar, Taki, Halisahar, Damdam, and Uttar Damdam.
The investigation has now expanded to cover more municipalities. As the investigation progresses, more details are expected to emerge, shedding light on the extent of this corruption scandal. The impact of these findings could have far-reaching consequences for the political landscape in West Bengal.