The Supreme Court on Friday admonished the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for its language in a plea that sought to transfer cases related to post-poll violence in West Bengal to courts outside the state. The plea, filed in December, had raised concerns about witness intimidation, but the phrasing that referenced a “hostile environment prevailing in the courts of Bengal” drew sharp criticism from the apex court.
A bench comprising Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Pankaj Mithal took strong exception to the CBI’s sweeping statement, with Justice Oka questioning the agency’s portrayal of the judiciary in Bengal.
“You are talking as if there is a ‘hostile environment’ in the whole of Bengal,” the bench remarked, adding, “How can you say this… how can you say ‘hostile atmosphere prevails in Bengal courts’? Your officers may not like the judicial officers but don’t make such statements.”
The court warned the CBI that it could face contempt of court proceedings for such statements, but after Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, representing the CBI, issued an apology and admitted the petition was “loosely drafted,” the court permitted the plea’s withdrawal. Raju assured the court that a fresh petition, with more appropriate wording, would be submitted soon.
CBI Investigates Bengal Post-Poll Violence
The CBI had been tasked by the Calcutta High Court to investigate cases of violence that erupted after the 2021 West Bengal Assembly election. These cases include heinous crimes such as rape and murder, with many complaints alleging a deliberate bias by the state police in not pursuing charges against certain accused individuals, often linked to the ruling party.
The 2021 Assembly election, which saw Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress retain power despite a stiff challenge from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was marred by reports of widespread violence across the state. Disturbing images and videos of atrocities, shared extensively on social media, were attributed by both parties to their political opponents.
In its directives, the Calcutta High Court had sharply criticized the state police, accusing them of a “predetermined mindset” in their investigation of serious crimes and suggesting that officers had shown a tendency to favor the accused, many of whom were supporters of the ruling Trinamool Congress.
Political Reactions
The Supreme Court’s rebuke of the CBI’s language comes amid ongoing political tensions in Bengal. The BJP, which had pushed for the CBI investigation, hailed the court’s criticism of the state’s law enforcement, calling it “historic” and a vindication of its claims about political bias in post-poll violence cases. The Trinamool Congress, on the other hand, expressed displeasure over the CBI’s involvement, continuing to argue that the state’s law enforcement agencies were being unfairly targeted.
