Primary Teacher’s Recruitment Scam Case: Supreme Court reassigns the case to another judge

Today, the Supreme Court bench including Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha heard the case related to the Primary Teacher’s Recruitment Scam in West Bengal. The bench directed the Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court to reassign the case to another judge. The matter was dealt by Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay of the Calcutta High Court who directed the ED and the CBI to question TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee. The Calcutta High Court’s Chief Justice in an interview with ABP Ananda spoke against Abhishek Banerjee and CJI in previous interview said, “Judges have no business granting interviews on matters which are pending.” 

While hearing the matter today, the bench took the transcript of the interview with ABP Ananda. The Supreme Court ordered, “Pursuant to the order of this court, the registry has placed the affidavit. We have considered the note by Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay and have also perused the transcript of the interview. Having considered the transcript, we direct that the Hon’ble acting Chief Justice of the High Court of Calcutta shall reassign the pending proceedings in the case to some other judge. The judge whom it is reassigned shall be at liberty to take up any application in that regard. Anybody who wants to make an application, that judge will consider it.” 

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted, “Whenever an order goes against an individual, the judges are targeted. Before Justice Gangopadhyay, there was another judge. People went with paperweights and slippers. Posters were made. This sends a demoralizing message to the judiciary. Please say something which doesn’t have a demoralizing effect. They go to courtrooms, abuse judges. There are videos.” Hearing this, CJI replied, “Let’s make it clear- Judges take on very arduous duty. The only reason we’re asking for the case to be reassigned is because of the transcript- no other reason. They can’t say in the public realm that the judge was biased…You’re right, no judges should be browbeated. As a Chief Justice, if I come across that, we’ll take it up on the administrative side.” The bench further clarified that the transcript justified the top Court’s order to reassign the case to another judge.

Also Read: Supreme Court Updates