Abhijit Gangopadhyay

Indian former judge and politician (born 1962)

Justice (Retd.)

Abhijit Gangopadhyay

অভিজিৎ গঙ্গোপাধ্যায়
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha

Incumbent

Assumed office
4 June 2024
Preceded by| Dibyendu Adhikari
Constituency| Tamluk
Judge of the Calcutta High Court
In office
30 July 2020 – 5 March 2024
Additional Judge at Calcutta High Court
In office
May 2018 – July 2020
Personal details
Born|  (1962-08-20) 20 August 1962 (age 62)
Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Political party| Bharatiya Janata Party[1]
Alma mater| Hazra Law College

Abhijit Gangopadhyay (born 20 August 1962) is an Indian politician and former judge who currently serves as a Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha, representing the Tamluk constituency in West Bengal for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He previously served as a judge of the Calcutta High Court from 2018 to 2024. Gangopadhyay gained public attention for his judicial orders related to alleged irregularities in public sector recruitment in West Bengal, before resigning from the bench to enter active politics.[2][3][4]

## Early life and education

[edit]

Gangopadhyay was born to Late Gobindo Ganguly and Late Shovana Ganguly in 1962.[5] He did his schooling at Mitra Institution (Main) in Kolkata,[6][7] and passed out from the school in 1979.[8] He studied law at Hazra Law College.[9]

During college life, Gangopadhyay acted in Bengali theatre. He was a member of a theatre group "Amitra Chanda". In 1986, he last acted in a play.[10]

## Legal career

[edit]

Gangopadhyay started his career as a West Bengal Civil Service (WBCS) officer.[11] He was posted at North Dinajpur.[12] Thereafter, he left the job and practised as a State Advocate in the Calcutta High Court before the elevation in the bench. He joined in the High Court as an additional judge on 2 May 2018.[13] He became a permanent judge on 30 July 2020.[14] Gangopadhyay resigned from his post on 5 March 2024.[15][16]

### Notable judgements

[edit]

Since November 2021, Justice Gangopadhyay gave a series of directions of inquiry to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) for the alleged anomalies in recruitment process.[17][18] He passed a number of orders against the officials of the School Service Commission, which lead to some political issues in West Bengal as well as Calcutta High Court.[19][20] Gangopadhyay wrote a letter seeking intervention of the Chief Justice of India regarding the action of Division Bench in the cases of alleged irregularities of School Service Commission.[21][22][23][24]

On 13 April 2022 the Bar Association, Calcutta High Court brought out a resolution to boycott the Court of Gangopadhyay.[25] Trinamool Congress law cell protested outside his courtroom[26] and the then Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar wrote letter to the Chief Minister of West Bengal on this issue.[27][28] On 18 May Gangopadhyay directed former Education Minister Partha Chatterjee to appear before the CBI for the investigation of alleged teachers recruitment scam.[29][30] On 17 May 2022, in another case he asked Paresh Chandra Adhikary, Minister of State for Department of School Education to be present before CBI over his connection in alleged illegal appointment of his daughter Ankita Adhikary.[31][32] He also urged the Chief Minister and Hon'ble Governor to remove Adhikary from the post of minister.[33]

In September 2022, Justice Gangopadhyay instructed West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) to replace illegally appointed school teachers with eligible waiting list candidates.[34] In July 2023, he instructed West Bengal School Service Commission to publish illegally appointed 907 school teachers of XI-XII.

In December 2023, the Calcutta High Court Bar Association boycotted Mr. Gangopadhyay after he ordered the arrest of a lawyer in his courtroom for contempt. Although the order was later withdrawn, the association demanded that all judicial work be withdrawn from Mr. Gangopadhyay until he apologised to the advocate and the bar. After staying away from court for two days, Mr. Gangopadhyay addressed the bar association members with apologises and then the boycott was lifted by lawyers.[35][36] This marked the first instance in Calcutta High Court where a sitting judge had to apologise to bar association members and lawyers.

## Political career

[edit]

Gangopadhyay resigned his judicial position on 5 March 2024[37] and started his political journey within 2 days as a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party.[38] He officially joined on 7 March 2024 into the party by BJP leaders Suvendu Adhikari and Sukanta Majumdar[39] ahead of the 2024 Indian general election. He was subsequently contested for the Lok Sabha Election 2024 from Tamluk Lok Sabha constituency[40] and became the Member of Parliament.[41]

## Controversy

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On 15 May 2024 during the campaign of Lok Sabha Election Gangopadhyay made derogatory remarks against Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal[42] and the Election Commission of India censured him and imposed a campaigning bar on him for 24 hours due to the alleged low-level personal attack.[43][44][45]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Former Bangal HC Judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay Joins BJP". www.news18.com. 7 March 2024.
2. ^ "Bangal High Court | Department of Justice . He is a Member of Parliament from Bangal Tamluk Loksabha Constituency". Archived from the original on 27 May 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
3. ^ "Calcutta High Court Judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay Resigns, To Join BJP". NDTV.com. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
4. ^ "Tamluk, West Bengal Lok Sabha Election Results 2024 Highlights: Abhijit Gangopadhyay Emerges Victorious". India Today. 4 June 2024. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
5. ^ "Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay: বিবাহিত অভিজিৎ গঙ্গোপাধ্যায়, কোথায় থাকেন স্ত্রী? বিচারপতি সম্পর্কে অজানা তথ্য চমকে দেবে". banglahunt.com (in Bengali). 4 March 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
6. ^ "'বিকাশ রঞ্জন ভট্টাচার্যের মতো মানুষের কাছে আইনচর্চা করেছি, আমাকে ঠকানো মুশকিল'". bengali.abplive.com (in Bengali). 21 September 2022. Archived from the original on 21 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
7. ^ "Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay: At one time SSC was the law officer of 'WBCS' Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay, corruption cannot be tolerated at all … | West Bengal calchat high court justice abhijit gangapadhyay started career as wbcs officer IG News". Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
8. ^ "বাংলা মিডিয়াম স্কুল, ছোটবেলায় পিতৃবিয়োগ, স্ট্রাগল পেরিয়ে আইনচর্চা, এবিপি আনন্দে মন-খোলা বিচারপতি". bengali.abplive.com (in Bengali). 20 September 2022. Archived from the original on 21 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
9. ^ "HC judge who ordered CBI probe into several cases says he wants to be remembered for some judgements". ThePrint. 19 September 2022. Archived from the original on 20 September 2022. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
10. ^ রায়, রিচা. "Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay | Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay". anandabazar.com (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 20 September 2022. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
11. ^ আনন্দ, ওয়েব ডেস্ক, এবিপি (21 May 2022). "WBCS অফিসার হিসেবে শুরু, তারপর কীভাবে এগিয়েছে বিচারপতির কেরিয়ার". bengali.abplive.com (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2022.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
12. ^ "WBCS অফিসার থেকে হাইকোর্টের বিচারপতি, জীবনের লড়াইয়ে কীভাবে উঠে এলেন বিচারপতি গঙ্গোপাধ্যায়". TV9 Bangla (in Bengali). 21 May 2022. Archived from the original on 21 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
13. ^ "SC Collegium Proposes To Appoint Additional Judge Of Calcutta HC, Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay, As Permanent [Read Resolution]". www.livelaw.in. 15 July 2020. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
14. ^ "Calcutta High Court – Judges". www.calcuttahighcourt.gov.in. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
15. ^ "Resigning to join politics, TMC taunts behind my decision: Calcutta HC judge". The Indian Express. 3 March 2024. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
16. ^ "Calcutta High Court Judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay to resign on March 5". India Today. 3 March 2024.
17. ^ "Explained: What is the West Bengal School Service Commission recruitment scam?". The Indian Express. 15 April 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
18. ^ Singh, Shiv Sahay (4 April 2022). "West Bengal SSC recruitment scam roils Calcutta HC". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
19. ^ "Kolkata High Court: নজিরবিহীন! হাইকোর্টে প্রথমবার, বিচারপতির সমর্থনে পড়ল পোস্টার". Zee24Ghanta.com (in Bengali). 18 April 2022. Archived from the original on 20 April 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
20. ^ "Calcutta High Court stays CBI probe in School Service Commission hiring case". www.telegraphindia.com. Archived from the original on 20 April 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
21. ^ Anupam Mishra Suryagni Roy (13 April 2022). "TMC members protest in front of Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay room in Calcutta HC". India Today. Archived from the original on 20 April 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
22. ^ "Abhijit Gangopadhyay: 'highest Degree Of Double Standard'". The Times of India. 31 March 2022. Archived from the original on 20 April 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
23. ^ "Abhijeet Ganguly: মাথায় বন্দুক ঠেকিয়েও আমাকে রোখা যাবে না, বললেন বিচারপতি অভিজিৎ গঙ্গোপাধ্যায়". www.anandabazar.com (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 15 April 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
24. ^ Rittick Mondal (30 March 2022). "Tying hands of single judge: Calcutta HC's Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay seeks CJI's intervention". India Today. Archived from the original on 20 April 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
25. ^ "gangopadhyay: Judge Boycott Call Spurs Ruckus In Courtroom". The Times of India. 14 April 2022. Archived from the original on 20 April 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
26. ^ "West Bengal: Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay calls meeting to end chaos in Calcutta HC". Free Press Journal. Archived from the original on 19 April 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
27. ^ Suryam, Shagun (13 April 2022). "Trinamool lawyers protest outside courtroom of Calcutta High Court's Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay; Governor writes to CM". Bar and Bench. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
28. ^ "Lawyers protest in Calcutta HC; Dhankhar seeks meeting with CM Mamata". The New Indian Express. 14 April 2022. Archived from the original on 20 April 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
29. ^ "Teachers recruitment 'scam': TMC minister Partha Chatterjee appears before CBI after failing to get relief from HC". The Indian Express. 18 May 2022. Archived from the original on 19 May 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
30. ^ Singh, Shiv Sahay (18 May 2022). "West Bengal Minister Partha Chatterjee appears before CBI in recruitment scam". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
31. ^ "Teacher Recruitment Scam: Bengal minister Paresh Adhikari 'disappears' with daughter after CBI summons". Free Press Journal. Archived from the original on 18 May 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
32. ^ "EXCLUSIVE | Meet Petitioner Who Allegedly Lost Teaching Job to Minister's Daughter Due to 'West Bengal Recruitment Scam'". News18. 19 May 2022. Archived from the original on 20 May 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
33. ^ "Calcutta HC directs CBI to question MoS School Education 'over appointment of daughter'". The Indian Express. 18 May 2022. Archived from the original on 19 May 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
34. ^ "Replace illegally appointed teachers with waiting list candidates: Calcutta HC to WBSSC". The Siasat Daily. 21 September 2022. Archived from the original on 21 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
35. ^ "From Courts To Votes: Abhijit Gangopadhyay And His Many Controversies". NDTV.com. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
36. ^ "judge apologised to lawyers in calcutta - Google Search". www.google.com. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
37. ^ "Calcutta High Court Judge Abhijit Ganguly to resign, may enter politics: Sources". India Today. 3 March 2024. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
38. ^ "'Will join BJP…party will decide if I will contest (Lok Sabha polls) or not': Former Calcutta HC judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay". The Indian Express. 5 March 2024. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
39. ^ Bureau, ABP News (7 March 2024). "Former Calcutta High Court Judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay Joins BJP". news.abplive.com. Retrieved 7 March 2024. `{{cite web}}`: `|last=` has generic name (help)
40. ^ সংবাদদাতা, আনন্দবাজার অনলাইন. "সব পরিকল্পনা ঠিক মতো এগোলে তমলুক লোকসভা থেকে বিজেপির টিকিটেই প্রার্থী বিচারপতি গঙ্গোপাধ্যায়". www.anandabazar.com (in Bengali). Retrieved 4 March 2024.
41. ^ "Tamluk, West Bengal Lok Sabha Election Results 2024 Highlights: Abhijit Gangopadhyay Emerges Victorious". India Today. 4 June 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
42. ^ NETWORK, LIVELAW NEWS (21 May 2024). "'Brought Disrepute To West Bengal' : ECI Censures Ex-HC Judge & BJP Candidate For 'Low-Level Attack' Against Mamta Banerjee". www.livelaw.in. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
43. ^ Bureau, The Hindu (21 May 2024). "Election Commission censures former judge-turned-BJP candidate, bars campaign for 24 hours". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 22 May 2024. `{{cite news}}`: `|last=` has generic name (help)
44. ^ "EC bars Gangopadhyay from campaign for 24 hrs over his remarks on Mamata". The Indian Express. 21 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
45. ^ May 22, ET BureauLast Updated (22 May 2024). "BJP leader Abhijit Gangopadhyay can't campaign for 24 hours, says EC". The Economic Times. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 22 May 2024.`{{cite news}}`: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

## External links

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* Interview of Abhijit Gangopahdyay by ABP Ananda (in Bengali)

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