A special CBI court on Monday granted bail to former education minister Partha Chatterjee, clearing the last hurdle that the former Trinamool leader had to walk out.

The Supreme Court granted him bail in the ED case in December 2024.

On August 18, a division bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justices M.M. Sundresh and N. Kotiswar Singh granted bail in the CBI case, too, but ordered that Chatterjee would be released only after the trial court completes the examination of material witnesses within two months.

On Monday, a special CBI court in Alipore passed the order after completing the hearing of the last witness.

Partha, now admitted at RN Tagore Hospital.

The hospital had already issued a provisional fit-to-discharge certificate for Chatterjee. However, he is likely to be released from the hospital only after it completes the remaining medical formalities.

The order signed by CBI Special Court No. 1 in Alipore, reads: “As directed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, the list of witnesses shortlisted by the Ld Court... has been examined in totality. Following the spirit of the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s Order in Criminal Appeal... the accused persons have been released on bail....”

Besides Chatterjee, former West Bengal School Service Commission chairman Subires Bhattacharyya was also granted bail.

Chatterjee was granted bail over three years after his arrest in July 2022 for his alleged involvement in irregularities in state-aided schools.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Chatterjee in July 2022 from his residence in Naktala.

The agency claimed to have seized documents relating to 12 immovable properties linked to his close associates, as well as paperwork related to the appointment of Group D staff in schools.

Chatterjee’s close aide, Arpita Mukherjee, was also arrested. Over ₹49 crore was seized from her present home and her property in Belgharia.

About ₹21.9 crore was recovered from her apartment in Tollygunge. Mukherjee’s other apartment in Belgharia had ₹27.9 crore in cash and jewellery worth ₹4.3 crore.

The Trinamool Congress later suspended Chatterjee.

Court officials said a copy of the special CBI court’s order reached the Presidency correctional home on Monday evening. A team from the jail then visited the hospital, according to police sources.

Chatterjee attended the day’s court proceedings virtually from the hospital.

The CBI, which is investigating the alleged irregularities in the appointments at state-aided schools, registered a criminal case against Chatterjee on May 20, 2022.

In its first chargesheet, the CBI charged Chatterjee with criminal conspiracy, cheating and forgery. Besides Chatterjee, 15 other people were named in the charge sheet.

“Chatterjee’s bail doesn’t mean that he has been cleansed of all the allegations. The trial will continue, and we hope to bring the case to its logical end,” a senior CBI officer said.