West Bengal SSC recruitment scam: SC upholds HC verdict invalidating appointment of 25,753 staff

In a big setback to the Mamata Banerjee-led Bengal government, the Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the Calcutta High Court order cancelling 25,753 appointments of teaching and non-teaching staff by the West Bengal School Service Commission ( WBSSC) in 2016 in connection with the school jobs for cash scam.

The Court further ordered that fresh selection process should be completed within 3 months.

A Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna and Justice PV Sanjiv Kumar refused to interfere with the High Court decision after noting that the appointments were "vitiated by manipulation and fraud."

"We have gone through the facts. Regarding findings of this case, entire selection process is vitiated by manipulation and fraud and credibility and legitimacy is denuded. No reason to interfere. Tainted candidates must be terminated and appointments were resultant of cheating and thus fraud," the Court said.

However, the Bench added that the candidates already appointed need not hand over the salary given so far.