Who is Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay, Calcutta HC judge set to join politics?
Justice Gangopadhyay was elevated to the post of additional judge in 2018 and became a permanent Calcutta high court judge two years later
Calcutta high court judge Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay on Monday announced his decision to resign from his post, ahead of his retirement later this year. Known for his rulings on education-related issues, Justice Gangopadhyay told a TV channel that he is stepping down to join politics.
""I am going to resign from the post of a judge in High Court Calcutta. For the last two or more years I have been dealing with some matters, especially education matters, regarding which a huge corruption has been discovered and unearthed. A large number of important persons in the education sector of this government are now languishing in jail, under trial," he told ANI.
"Thereafter, now I am taking labour matters. There are also large scams of employers concerning provident fund gratuity, etc. I have also passed certain orders in those respects. But what I have failed while doing these matters of labour matters, labour legislation, that I have felt that my job in this duty is over. This is the call of my conscience," Justice Gangopadhyay said.
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A high court judge since 2018, Justice Gangopadhyay is known for his rulings which triggered controversies. Here are five things you need to know about him.
1. According to reports, Justice Gangopadhyay was born in Kolkata in 1962. He attended Mitra Institution, a Bengali medium school in south Kolkata.
2. After completing his graduation from Hazra Law College in Kolkata, Justice Gangopadhyay started his career in Uttar Dinajpur district, wherein he worked as a West Bengal Civil Service Grade A officer. He later quit as a civil service and began practising as a state lawyer in the Calcutta high court.
3. Justice Gangopadhyay was elevated to the post of additional judge in 2018 and became a permanent judge two years later.
4. As a high court judge, Justice Gangopadhyay sparked a major controversy last April by giving an interview to a TV channel. The then judge was hearing a case related to the ‘school jobs for cash scam’. In an interview to a TV channel, he spoke on the alleged role of TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee in the matter, Bar and Bench reported. The Supreme Court while taking strong objection, had said that “sitting judges had no business giving interviews to TV channels”.
5. Justice Gangopadhyay has issued several directives instructing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to probe allegations of irregularities in the recruitment processes of teaching and non-teaching staff in West Bengal government-sponsored and -aided schools.
