Supreme Court criticises CBI for ‘scandalous’ allegations against West Bengal courts

The Supreme Court on Friday criticised the Central Bureau of Investigation for making “scandalous allegations” against the courts in West Bengal, reported Live Law.

The central agency was seeking the transfer of the trials in cases relating to incidents of violence in the state after the 2021 Assembly polls.

“What kind of grounds are taken in this [petition]?” Justice Abhay S Oka asked Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, reprenting the investigating agency. “That all courts in West Bengal have hostile environment? Blanket averment that courts are illegally granting bail? This is casting aspersions that the entire judiciary is under [a] hostile environment.”

Raju said that the petition’s drafting had been “loose” and agreed to amend it. The bench, however, said the transfer plea must be withdrawn.

Raju withdrew the petition, filed in December, based on the court’s critical remarks.

The petition had sought to transfer the cases related to the post-poll violence due to concerns about witness intimidation and threats to the administration of justice. The court had issued notice on the petition in February.

On Friday, the Supreme Court said that allowing the transfer of cases would imply that all courts in the state were not functioning.

“Suppose we transfer matters then we are certifying that there is hostile atmosphere over all the courts in...

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