Kolkata, Jul 25 (IANS): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probing the multi- crore school recruitment case in West Bengal, has questioned the state education department on formation of an advisory committee for appointment of staff in government schools.

Sources said that the CBI officials investigating the matter were baffled that the advisory committee for recruitment for 2016 was formed in 2018. Hence, the sleuths have sought explanations from the education department on the rationale of forming the advisory committee two years after the year of recruitment.

The probe agency has also reportedly inquired about other relevant details like on whose suggestion was the advisory committee created and its members selected.

It has also sought details of the candidates appointed through this process where the advisory committee played a key role in the entire appointment and recruitment processes.

Based on the explanations, the CBI will decide its next course of action in the matter.

On July 22, the former state education secretary Dushyant Nariala was summoned and questioned for hours at CBI's Nizam Palace office in central Kolkata.

The sources said that the matter of formation of the advisory committee surfaced during the course of questioning.

Nariala served as the state education secretary for a crucial period between 2016 and 2018, which is the same time span when the advisory committee was set up.

Partha Chatterjee, who is currently in judicial custody for his alleged involvement in the school recruitment case, was the state education minister during that period.