The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has included the name "Abhishek Banerjee" in its third chargesheet related to the West Bengal teachers' recruitment scam, alleging this individual demanded Rs 15 crore for illegal appointments. The Trinamool Congress has responded by accusing the probe agency of attempting to tarnish the reputation of party MP Abhishek Banerjee.

In the chargesheet filed this week, the CBI did not clearly identify the person's full identity. The document mentions that when Sujay Krishna Bhadra, an associate of the Trinamool MP arrested in 2023 by the Enforcement Directorate for involvement in the scam, expressed inability to collect additional money after candidates had already paid Rs 6.50 lakh each, "Abhishek Banerjee told him to stop their appointment else he would get those candidates arrested or posted at distant places."

Abhishek Banerjee, who has been questioned multiple times by both the ED and CBI regarding the teachers' recruitment scam, has firmly rejected the chargesheet's claims, calling it a "politically motivated narrative." A statement issued by his lawyer Sanjoy Basu on Wednesday stated: "By inserting unverified statements into a case concerning others, the agency has raised serious concerns about the fairness of its investigation."

The statement further criticized the CBI for failing to provide "a shred of corroborative evidence," with no supporting documents appended to its claims. Banerjee's legal team called the allegations "baseless," suggesting that "after failing through the ED, political forces have turned to the CBI, misusing central agencies to push their agenda."

## Background on the Teachers' Recruitment Scam

The scam first gained public attention when former Education Minister Partha Chatterjee and several West Bengal School Service Commission officials were arrested in July 2022 for their alleged involvement in illegal teacher recruitment.

Following Chatterjee's arrest, the ED seized approximately Rs 50 crore in cash and jewelry worth over Rs 1 crore from the residences of his close aide, Arpita Mukherjee, who is currently out on bail.

Both the CBI and ED are investigating alleged irregularities in the recruitment of Group C and D staff and teachers in government-run and aided schools across West Bengal. The controversy began with a 2014 notification for teacher appointments through the State Level Selection Test, though the actual recruitment process only started in 2016 when Chatterjee was education minister.

The process faced numerous legal challenges at the Calcutta High Court, with petitioners alleging that lower-scoring candidates were ranked higher, and some applicants who weren't even on the merit list received appointment letters.