WB Post-Poll Violence: SC Asks Centre To Reply On Bengal Govt’s Plea Challenging HC Order For CBI Probe

The West Bengal government had in its special leave petition in the apex court earlier this month accused the CBI of acting at the Centre’s behest.

Supreme Court (File Photo)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notice to the Centre and others on the West Bengal government’s plea challenging the Calcutta High Court’s order for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into alleged post-poll violence in the state.

You have made out case for issuance of notice, the apex court told senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the West Bengal government, PTI reported.

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The West Bengal government had in its special leave petition in the apex court earlier this month accused the CBI of acting at the Centre’s behest.

Claimed that it did not expect a fair probe, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led government alleged that the central agency was focusing on registering cases against the Trinamool Congress (TMC) office-bearers.

The Calcutta High Court had last month ordered a court-monitored probe by the CBI into the alleged incidents of rape and murder into serious crimes such as rape and murder during alleged post-poll violence in the state.

The High Court in its judgement on August 19 also ordered the formation of a special investigation team (SIT) to probe all other offences related to the alleged post-poll violence.

The High Court, which pronounced its judgment on petitions seeking a probe into post-poll violence in West Bengal, said both investigations will be monitored by the court.

The High Court also ordered the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the state government to hand over all their records of the cases to the CBI for a court-monitored investigation.

The TMC returned to power with a landslide victory for the third time in West Bengal earlier in May this year.