West Bengal Chief Secretary, BP Gopalika, was on Wednesday summoned by the Calcutta High Court for not submitting a report on the unnecessary delay by the state government in giving approval for beginning the trial against government servants involved in the cash-for-school job case.

When the matter came up for hearing at the Division Bench of Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Gaurang Kanth, the CBI counsel complained about the delay by the state government in giving approval despite repeated reminders.

Thereafter the Division Bench directed Chief Secretary Gopalika to be present in front of it in the second half of the court proceedings on Wednesday, when the matter will come up for hearing again.

On March 22, the same Division Bench directed Gopalika to specify the deadline by which the state government would give its approval for the beginning of the trial against arrested people linked to the education department.

On that day, the Division Bench also said that in the reply to be submitted to the court by April 3, the Chief Secretary must specify why it took so long to grant approval.

The Bench took exception when no report from the Chief Secretary reached the court by Wednesday, which was the deadline for its submission.

“The court expected the Chief Secretary to submit a report in the matter. The court has previously asked the Chief Secretary about the tentative time by when the state government will give the approval for beginning of the trial process. However, even after that no report on this count was submitted at the court. In that case why the Chief Secretary should not be asked to be physically present at the court,” Justice Bagchi observed.

Thereafter, the Division Bench directed the Chief Secretary to be present in court during the second half of the day.

(This article has been published via a syndicated feed)