Narada case: Supreme Court asks Calcutta High Court to hear plea by Mamata Banerjee

The counter-affidavits were filed following the CBI’s arrest of four leaders, including two Bengal ministers

Mamata Banerjee: File picture

Legal Correspondent   |   TT  |  New Delhi   |   26.06.21  : The Supreme Court on Friday annulled Calcutta High Court’s June 9 order that had refused to entertain counter-affidavits filed by chief minister Mamata Banerjee, Bengal government and law minister Moloy Ghatak in the Narada case.

A Supreme Court bench of Justices Vineet Saran and Dinesh Maheshwari asked the high court to hear the trio’s pleas to examine the counter-affidavits before holding further proceedings on the CBI’s petition to transfer the Narada case to the high court itself.

The counter-affidavits were filed following the CBI’s arrest of four leaders, including two Bengal ministers, in the Narada case.

The Supreme Court asked the three petitioners to file their applications in the high court before June 29 giving reasons for filing the counter-affidavits. The bench also asked the high court to examine the matter afresh uninfluenced by any observations made by it.

While senior advocate Vikas Singh appeared for the Bengal government, another senior lawyer Rakesh Dwivedi represented Mamata and Ghatak in the supreme court.

On behalf of the CBI, solicitor general Tushar Mehta opposed the petition challenging the high court’s refusal to entertain their counter-affidavits.