SC Questions West Bengal’s Intervention in Sandeshkhali Case
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the West Bengal government as to why it should come in as a petitioner for “protecting the interest” of some private individuals in the Sandeshkhali matter.
The top court made the observation while hearing the state government’s plea challenging the Calcutta High Court’s April 10 order which directed a CBI investigation into allegations of crimes against women and land grabbing in Sandeshkhali.
“Why should the state come in as a petitioner for protecting the interest of some private individuals?” a bench of Justices B.R. Gavai and Sandeep Mehta asked the counsel.
Stating that the state was aggrieved by some comments made in the High Court order, senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi appearing for the West Bengal government said, “There are comments about the state government that are unfair because the state had taken full action.”
At this, the bench said the state can go to the High Court and seek an expunction of remarks if it is aggrieved by that “I (state) am aggrieved, therefore, I am before your lordships,” the counsel replied.
The bench posted the matter for hearing in July and made it clear that the pendency of this petition will not be used as a ground for any purposes.
However, when the counsel sought hearing in the next couple of days stating “they have some very important information which they want to file,” the bench said, “the atmosphere will be conducive after July,” and posted the matter for July.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, requested the bench that the pendency of this petition “better not used anywhere”. Mehta said one can understand if the accused are aggrieved by the High Court order, but how can the state be aggrieved.
In its plea before the apex court, the state government had said the High Court’s order demoralised the entire state machinery, including the police force. “The High Court in a very generic order directed the state to provide the required support to the CBI without any guidelines, which amounts to usurping the powers of the state police to investigate any cognisable offence in the Sandeshkhali area, even if the same is not related to the allegations leveled by the PIL petitioners,” the state government said in its plea.
