School jobs scam: SC stays HC order imposing Rs 25 lakh cost on TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee

Press Trust of India 

New Delhi 

The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the Calcutta High Court order, which imposed a cost of Rs 25 lakh on Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee while dismissing his plea seeking recall of a previous order pertaining to probe into the school jobs scam case.

A vacation bench comprising Justices J K Maheshwari and P S Narasimha observed the high court had considered the points raised by Banerjee in his plea but the imposition of cost of Rs 25 lakh was "perhaps not warranted".

"But then, it does not mean that no cost can be imposed at all…. I think the order is a very balanced and fair order," Justice Narasimha observed. The bench said it will stay the imposition of cost and will hear in July Banerjee's plea against the high court's May 18 order dismissing a petition filed by him seeking recall of a previous order of the high court which said probe agencies such as the CBI and ED could interrogate him in the case.

"Re-list in the week commencing July 10. Till the next date of listing, the imposition of the cost part by the impugned order shall remain stayed," the bench said.

Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Banerjee, referred to the high court order, and said there were "errors apparent" in it. "We are not doing anything, we are only issuing notice and asking for response," the bench observed, adding that it will post the matter for hearing after the vacation. On April 28, the apex court had asked the Acting Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court to reassign the West Bengal school jobs scam case to another judge, days after voicing displeasure over Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay's interview to a TV news channel where he spoke about the raging controversy.

During the hearing on Friday, the bench observed that after the apex court's order, the matter was assigned to another bench which passed orders on the applications, including those filed by Banerjee.