Calcutta High Court (HC) on Wednesday cancelled the appointment of Sirajul Islam, a prominent leader of the teachers’ cell belonging to the ruling Trinamul Congress in the state on charges of large scale corruption during his appointment in 2001.
Mr Islam was an assistant teacher of a secondary school in the Shibpur area of Howrah district.
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The division Bench of Justice Rajasekhar Mantha directed the state government to implement the cancellation order with immediate effect from today. The Bench, while issuing the order, observed that Mr Islam got the job through corrupt practices and he could no longer be allowed to continue the job.
Mr Islam was recently made the general secretary of the Trinamul Congress-backed secondary schools teachers’ cell in Howrah district.
In 2001, with directive of the HC, he had lost the job after serious corruption charges were brought against him but he had been continuing the service since then.
This time, allegations in connection with his involvement in the teachers’ recruitment scam in the state were levelled against him.
Lawyer Firdous Shamim, on behalf of his client who filed a petition against Mr Islam in the HC, raised the issue in the court.
On 13 March, a hearing was held in the single Bench of Justice Biswajit Basu.
The court sought clarification from the state on how he was appointed in the post, related to academic affairs despite charges of corruption against him.
Justice Basu pulled up the police for not lodging an FIR against Mr Islam. Later, police lodged the FIR against him after being pulled up by the court.
Mr Islam moved the HC requesting its intervention so that the FIR could not affect his service.
Today, a hearing in connection with his appeal was held in the division Bench of Justice Mantha.
Within five minutes of the hearing of the case Justice Mantha made an observation saying that his appointment was completely illegal and directed to cancel the appointment.
