New Delhi: The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal filed by the West Bengal government that challenges a recent order passed by the Calcutta High Court insisting that the CBI undertake a probe into land-grabbing and sexual assault incidents in Sandeshkhali. A bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan asked the state reasons for it in this matter by asking, “why should the state be interested in protecting someone?” During the last hearing, the counsel for the West Bengal government sought the last hearing after the apex court put this particular question to it. “Thank you. Dismissed,” the bench concluded.
The court was responding to the state government’s appeal that challenged the Calcutta High Court ruling of April 10, which ordered a CBI probe into the occurrences. Moreover, the Supreme Court said this on April 29 while thinking over the plea: “Why is the West Bengal government functioning as a petitioner to safeguard the ‘interest’ of some private persons?”
The state government, in its stay application before the Supreme Court, said that following the order of the Calcutta High Court, the entire state apparatus, as well as the police has been demoralised. The CBI is already probing an incident of attack on ED officials in Sandeshkhali and has filed three FIRs for the events that took place on January 5.
When pointing out that the case would be under the supervision of the Calcutta High Court, the agency observed that the CBI had been asked to submit a detailed report on the alleged fraudulent conversion of agricultural land into fish farming ponds. The court directed physical scrutiny of receipts documents and physical assessment of the land sought to have been fraudulently developed.
Moreover, the High Court ordered the CBI to look into complaints of crimes against women and land formation in Sandeshkhali. The CBI is expected to file a detailed report in the High Court when the matter comes up for hearing next.
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