SC pulls up CBI for seeking transfer of West Bengal post-poll violence cases

The Supreme Court on Friday pulled up the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for seeking shifting of post-poll violence cases from West Bengal to another state.The investigating agency had filed a transfer petition following which the apex court said, “Very unfortunate that a central agency like CBI has cast aspersion against the entire judiciary in West Bengal.”
The court directed the agency to withdraw its petition taking serious exception to statements in the petition which said there is hostility in hearing the matters in all courts.
“You are brandishing all courts in West Bengal as hostile. Judges of the district judiciary cannot protect themselves. You are saying that trials are not conducted properly,” the Court said.
The court threatened to issue a contempt notice to the lawyer who drafted the plea, with Justice Oka warning, “This is a fit case for a contempt notice against the drafter.”
Meanwhile, additional solicitor general SV Raju, representing the CBI, told Supreme Court that there is no intention to cast aspersions.
However, the court rejected a simple withdrawal, saying that the allegations were clearly outlined in the plea.
“This is all in black and white. How can you do this? Your officer first has to tender an apology for casting such aspersions on courts in West Bengal,” Bar and Bench quoted the court as saying.
ASG Raju requested the court to refrain from using harsh language, emphasising that any remarks against the judiciary were unintentional.
The Supreme Court dismissed the plea, allowing the CBI to submit a new one.
The CBI, which took over the investigation into post-poll violence cases on the orders of the Calcutta High Court, sought to move the trials out of West Bengal when it approached the Supreme Court last year.
In its petition, the agency described the state’s environment as “hostile” and raised concerns about the ability to conduct fair trials. On February 14, a single-judge bench put the trials on hold and issued notices regarding the case.
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