Apex Court slams CBI for making ‘scandalous allegations’ against all courts in West Bengal

MP, 21 Sept 2024, Kolkata: During a hearing of the West Bengal post-poll violence cases on Friday, the Supreme Court rapped the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for making “scandalous allegations” against courts in Bengal while seeking transfer of the trial in these cases out of the state. 

The bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Pankaj Mithal is learnt to have expressed strong criticism. 

Addressing the Additional Solicitor General (ASG), SV Raju, Justice Oka reportedly said: “Mr Raju, what kind of grounds are taken in this? That all courts in West Bengal have a hostile environment? 

Blanket averment that courts are illegally granting bail? This is casting aspersions that the entire judiciary is under a hostile environment.” 

The ASG admitted there was some “loose drafting” in the petition and agreed to amend it. However, the bench said that the petition has to be withdrawn. 

“Suppose we transfer matters, then we are certifying that there is a hostile atmosphere over all the courts in the state and courts are not functioning. 

Your officers may not like the judicial officer or a particular state, but don’t say that the entire judiciary is not functioning. The judges, the district judges and civil judges and sessions judges can’t come here and defend themselves,” Justice Oka told the ASG. 

Calling the central agency’s “aspersions” on courts in Bengal “unfortunate,” the bench observed: “Scandalous allegations have been made against all the courts in general in West Bengal. It is repeatedly averred that there is a hostile environment prevailing in the courts. 

It is very unfortunate that the Central Agency has chosen to cast aspersions on courts in West Bengal.” 

The ASG chose to withdraw the transfer petition. The bench said: “We make it clear that all objections to the proposed transfer are expressly kept open.” 

The transfer petition was filed in December last year seeking to relocate the cases outside of West Bengal due to alleged concerns of witness intimidation and threats to the course of justice. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/cm-writes-to-pm-says-dvc-unilaterally-releasing-water-warns-of-disengagement-580407?infinitescroll=1