KOLKATA: The process of framing of charges in the case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the cash-for-school job case in West Bengal is expected to be completed at a special court of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Kolkata on December 23.
However, the only factor that might delay the process is the eventuality of the ED not being able to ensure that all those shown as accused by the central agency in subsequent charge sheets by the agency are physically present at the court at the time of framing of charges.
Sources said that the two accused persons whose physical presence at the court is uncertain are Sujay Krishna Bhadra and Kalyanmoy Bhattacharya, the son-in-law of former West Bengal education minister and Trinamool Congress secretary general Partha Chatterjee, also an accused in the case.
The uncertainties over Bhattacharya’s presence are over the factor that he is currently settled abroad with his wife and Chatterjee’s daughter Sohini Bhattacharya Chatterjee.
However, sources added that the local counsel of Bhattacharya has already intimated the court that he had made all the arrangements to come to India and be present at the court on Monday.
Similarly, uncertainties over Bhadra’s presence are over his recent track record of skipping his physical presence at court on medical grounds.
He is currently in the custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is conducting a parallel probe in the school-job case and which has recently shown Bhadra as arrested in the case.
Of the 54 shown as accused by the ED in the school- job case, 29 are individuals and 25 are entities, corporates or trusts.
As per protocol, at the time of framing of the charge sheet while all the 29 accused individuals will have to be present physically, any representative of the accused entities will also have to be present.
After the completion of the process of framing charge, the trial process in the matter will begin. There are indications from the special court that the trial process in the matter will be on a daily basis.