Today(20th Sept), The Supreme Court criticized the CBI for seeking to transfer a case out of West Bengal, deeming its allegations as an affront to the integrity of the state’s judiciary. The Court emphasized that the CBI’s plea could undermine the credibility of district courts throughout West Bengal.
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NEW DELHI: Today(20th Sept), The Supreme Court criticized the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for submitting a petition that sought the transfer of a case out of West Bengal. The apex court, through its Division Bench of Justices Abhay S. Oka and Pankaj Mithal, expressed displeasure over the CBI’s allegations, which seemed to question the integrity of the judiciary in the entire state.
The Court underscored that the CBI’s plea appeared to malign the judicial system of West Bengal, casting aspersions on the functioning of district courts across the state.
Accusations Against West Bengal Judiciary
The Justices did not hold back in their condemnation of the CBI’s approach, emphasizing that the agency’s petition conveyed the impression that all courts in West Bengal were hostile environments for the proper conduct of trials. The bench was clear in its disapproval of such an assertion.
“You are brandishing all courts in West Bengal as hostile. The judges of the district judiciary cannot defend themselves. You are suggesting that trials are not being conducted properly.”
-the Court remarked, taking serious note of the language used in the petition.
The severity of the Court’s response highlighted its concern that such sweeping allegations could damage the reputation of the judiciary as a whole. The judges expressed that the CBI had overstepped its bounds by challenging the fairness and competence of the courts in West Bengal without adequate justification.
Threat of Contempt Proceedings
Further escalating the tension in the courtroom, the Supreme Court went on to contemplate issuing a contempt notice to the individual responsible for drafting the petition. Justice Oka, visibly agitated by the content of the plea, gave a stern warning.
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“This is an appropriate case to issue a contempt notice to the person who drafted this.”
-Justice Oka asserted.
This warning made it clear that the Court was not willing to take lightly any attempt to undermine the judiciary, especially through baseless accusations.
CBI’s ASG Offers to Withdraw the Petition
Appearing on behalf of the CBI, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S.V. Raju seemed taken aback by the Court’s reaction. Expressing that he was unaware of the specific details and contents of the petition, Raju attempted to defuse the situation by offering to withdraw the plea.
However, the Supreme Court did not accept this straightforward withdrawal without addressing the more significant issues at play. The Court insisted that it could not overlook the gravity of the allegations, as they were clearly outlined in the petition.
“This is all clearly documented. How can you proceed like this? Your officer must first apologize for making such allegations against the courts in West Bengal.”
-the bench stated firmly, indicating that the CBI could not avoid accountability for the accusations made in its plea.
Apology and Court’s Dismissal of the Petition
Recognizing the Court’s serious concerns, ASG Raju made a further appeal to the bench, requesting that it refrain from using harsh language in its order. He also urged the Court to consider that the remarks against the West Bengal judiciary were not intentional, suggesting that the language used in the petition may not have been carefully vetted.
In response to this plea, the Court acknowledged Raju’s submission but remained steadfast in its stance. The Justices dismissed the CBI’s petition, thereby denying the agency’s request to transfer the case out of West Bengal. However, in a show of leniency, the Court granted the CBI the liberty to file a fresh petition, provided it was free from any disparaging remarks about the judiciary.
