Irregularities in Municipal Corp appointments under administration's radar

Amidst the furor over corruption in the recruitment of teachers, the state government has now become alert about the fraud in the appointments of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. Before the opposition creates a ruckus and the central agencies are handed over to the probe, the state government is gearing up to initiate an investigation. 

After the municipal corporation appointment documents were recovered from the house of Trinamool leader Santanu Banerjee's close aide Ayan, who was arrested in the teacher recruitment corruption case, the state government has sought all the documents from the corporation.

Sources have said that the documents related to the appointment have been sent to the state secretariat by the municipal corporation late on Wednesday night.  These documents have been sent to the Urban Development Department.  

Earlier, the Directors of Local Bodies (DLBs) were instructed in this regard by the Secretariat to give a detailed report on the appointment. After 2016 there have been appointments in many Municipalities and Municipal Corporations of the State. After meeting the people involved in corruption in the appointment of its documents, the government is also able to do so.

Kuntal Ghosh and Santanu Banerjee, arrested in this case, are related to many other municipalities of the state including North 24 Parganas. Sources in the ED office have said that the Chief Secretary has directly started monitoring the matter and an inquiry in this regard may start soon.

It is to be noted that the appointment in Municipal Corporations and Municipalities of the State is done through the Municipal Service Commission. Now there is news that the appointment will be done directly through the district officials.