Municipality Recruitment Scam: Government Job by Submitting Blank Paper! CBI’s Sensational Report on Municipality Recruitment Corruption

Municipality Recruitment Scam: Just as the dust was settling on the teacher recruitment scam in West Bengal, explosive details regarding recruitment irregularities in various municipalities have come to light. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has submitted its final charge sheet to the Alipore Special CBI Court, revealing shocking information. The report alleges a brazen disregard for merit, claiming that candidates secured government jobs simply by submitting blank answer sheets.

Blank Answer Sheets: A New Tool for Corruption

After an extensive investigation spanning two and a half years, the details presented by the CBI depict a deep-rooted scam. According to the investigators, the recruitment process was heavily compromised.

• The “Blank Paper” Strategy: A significant number of candidates reportedly submitted completely blank answer sheets during the examination but were still awarded appointment letters.
• Post-Appointment Swaps: The irregularities didn’t stop at the exams. In several instances, individuals appointed for one specific post were found to be working in entirely different positions later on.
• Scale of the Scam: Evidence suggests that over 600 appointments across various municipalities were made illegally or involved significant irregularities.

List of Affected Municipalities

According to the CBI charge sheet, the web of corruption extended across several key municipalities in the state. The agency has flagged ‘ABS Infozone Private Limited’, a company owned by Ayan Sil, as the entity used to orchestrate this recruitment drive. The eight municipalities specifically named in the corruption allegations are:

Bureaucratic Involvement Under Scanner

The charge sheet does not limit its scope to private agencies; it also implicates high-ranking state administration officials. IAS officer Jyotishman Chattopadhyay, who was the Director of the ‘Directorate of Local Bodies’ (DLB) at the time, has been named as an accused. The CBI asserts that the final approval for municipal recruitments came directly from the DLB. Investigators allege that the officer was fully aware of the ongoing corruption but chose to remain a silent spectator despite knowing the facts.

Political Slugfest Erupts

The release of the CBI charge sheet has triggered a fresh political storm in the state. Opposition parties have launched a scathing attack on the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the state administration. They argue that this exposes how deep the rot of corruption runs within the system. The opposition has demanded exemplary punishment for the guilty and suggested that as the probe deepens, more “big fish” might be exposed.

In response, the ruling TMC has countered the opposition’s narrative. Party spokespersons have stated that if the central agency has concrete evidence, they should proceed with legal action. They further alleged that the central government, led by the BJP, is using agencies to settle political scores, dismissing any direct link between the party’s leadership and the alleged scam.

With the matter now sub-judice, all eyes are on the court proceedings to see how this high-profile investigation unfolds in the coming days.