West Bengal Post-poll Violence: Mamata Govt Moves To Supreme Court To Challenge CBI Probe

The state government, before the apex court, has expressed apprehensions over the CBI dealing with the cases related to post-poll violence in an unbiased way.

The Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government on Wednesday moved to Supreme Court, challenging the Calcutta High Court’s order of CBI probe in the violence that ensued in the state after the declaration of Assembly elections results on May 2. The state government, before the apex court, expressed apprehensions over the CBI dealing with the cases related to post-poll violence in an unbiased way, as it was ‘acting at the behest of the Central government’. 

Calcutta High Court orders CBI probe, sets ups SIT in post-poll violence

Earlier this month, the Calcutta High Court ordered a court-monitored CBI probe into the incidents of post-poll violence in the state. “It is made clear that it shall be a Court monitored investigation, and any obstruction in the course of investigation by anyone shall be viewed seriously,” the court had said. 

Further, the High Court also ordered to set up Special Investigation Teams (SIT) to probe into other criminal cases related to post-poll violence. “IPS officers, Suman Bala Sahoo, Soumen Mitra, and Ranbir Kumar of the West Bengal cadre will be members of the SIT,” the High Court informed, underlining that the probe of the SIT will be monitored by retired judges of the Supreme Court. 

CBI files 31 FIRs

It is pertinent to mention here that soon after the order of the Calcutta High Court, the CBI began its probe, and as a part of that, 31 FIRs have been registered, three of which were done on Tuesday.

Post-poll violence in West Bengal

The major parties in the fray after the West Bengal elections – BJP, Congress, CPI(M), TMC, and ISF were engaged in a tussle over the violence that broke out after the assembly election results. The MHA had sought a detailed report from the West Bengal government regarding the post-poll violence directed towards opposition parties in the state.

In addition, it also sent a four-member team to West Bengal. The BJP has repeatedly held the ruling TMC party responsible for the violence. However, the TMC has countered it and stated that the post-poll violence is due to ‘intra-BJP fights’, denying its involvement in the violence.

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