In a first, Calcutta High Court judge allows journalists to record proceedings

Calcutta High Court was hearing the West Bengal teacher recruitment scam case in which TMC leader Anubrata Mondal’s daughter Sukanya had to appear.

In a first, an unprecedented move, Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay of the Calcutta High Court on Thursday allowed reporters present in the courtroom to record the proceedings of the West Bengal teacher recruitment scam case in which TMC leader Anubrata Mondal’s daughter Sukanya had to appear along with five others.

They were directed to appear with their  Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) certificates and appointment letters.

#WATCH | Birbhum,WB: Anubrata Mondol's daughter, Sukanya Mandal, leaves from her residence to appear before Calcutta High Court, after petition was filed that she got post of teacher without clearing TET exam

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Anubrata Mondal is in CBI custody till Aug 20 in cattle smuggling case pic.twitter.com/Mpv8EvBMdi

— ANI (@ANI) August 18, 2022

On Thursday, Justice Gangopadhyay told the court, “For this hearing, I would allow journalists to use their mobile phones and record the court proceedings. I request that the proceedings not be live streamed on Facebook or anywhere similar but the reporters are encouraged to keep a video record of the proceedings today”.

According to a report in India Today, several lawyers immediately objected to it. One of them said, “Don’t turn this courtroom into a bazaar. It is earning you a very bad name amongst the bar. It may be good for the reporters, but you open the TV and from morning to evening your face is on it. Kindly don’t do this”. To which the publication quoted Justice Gangopadhyay as responding, “These are open court proceedings”.

Another lawyer tried to threaten the judge with an alleged "rumour" that reporters visit his chambers. “Yes, they come to my chamber” Justice Gangopadhyay said, “What’s objectionable in that?”.

As per the India Today report, Justice Gangopadhyay also told the lawyer, “I will call you by issuing a notice of contempt and then talk to you. I think there is evidence.” The lawyer then said, “I know how to deal with a judge”. And then the judge replied, “Yes, I also know how to deal with a person like you”.

Kolkata, WB | Calcutta High Court ordered Anubrata Mondal's Daughter Sukanya Mandal to produce her TET certificate before the court. It also asked for her marksheet in this regard for all further hearings to take place. The next date for hearing has been fixed for September 1. https://t.co/qX2KuzUNQ7

— ANI (@ANI) August 18, 2022

The Calcutta High Court single-judge bench of Justice Gangopadhyay had assembled at 3 pm to hear the case in which petitioners have alleged that the TMC leader Anubrata Mondal had been partial to people close to him, including his daughter, Sukanya Mondal, giving them jobs as government teachers.

There have also been allegations that Sukanya never visited the Kalikapur Primary School in Birbhum but would mark her attendance by getting the register home.