Judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay of the Kolkata High Court, who ordered the CBI to investigate alleged irregularities in the appointment of teachers and non-teaching staff in government schools in West Bengal, said on Monday “rampant corruption had taken place” and therefore had to he do commissioned investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
In an interview with TV news channel ABP Ananda, the acting judge said: “There was widespread corruption, that’s why I had to order so many CBI investigations. I would never have imagined that in my life.”
“As I sat down to do justice, I could see corruption… So I thought who should investigate. I have enough faith in the police, but they are controlled by other forces. That’s why I gave it to CBI. I’m not saying CBI isn’t controlled, but maybe less. Maybe they will reveal something… At that time I had to see that I have to be very strict against corruption.
Judge Gangopadhyay said he was emotional: “I can’t see tears in people’s eyes… I was once unemployed too. So I could see the crying face of the unemployed youth.”
Judge Gangopadhyay has ordered 10 CBI investigations into school job fraud.
Regarding comments by Prime Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, against the judiciary, Judge Gangopadhyay said he advocated “the strictest crackdown” against anyone “pointing the finger at the judiciary, otherwise people will lose confidence in the judicial system”.
“He (Abhishek Banerjee, Member of Parliament for the Trinamool Congress) once commented on the judiciary. I wasn’t in Calcutta at the time. I was in Ladakh. As I sat there, I thought I’m going to make a rule against him. i will call him After that I will act. But back in Calcutta, I found that a petition had been submitted to the Bench Division regarding this, which they did not take into account. They thought it would gain additional meaning. But I disagree.”
“Abhishek Banerjee said that a group of judges enjoys the protection of the BJP. If I call him to prove it, will he be able to prove it? Otherwise he should be sentenced to three months in prison for lying. He might kill me later, but that doesn’t bother me.”
Amid HC ordering a CBI investigation, the Trinamool MP said on May 28: “I’m ashamed to say that there are one or two people in the judiciary who (with the center) wear gloves … and order a CBI investigation into any case. ”
— With PTI inputs
