Kolkata: The CBI is learnt to have approached a Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court, opposing a direction for a joint investigation with the State police into four FIRs registered against Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, citing “bitter past experience”.
Seeking permission to challenge the order, the CBI submitted before the Bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Sujay Paul and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen that a fair probe could not be conducted alongside State police officials. The Bench on Thursday reportedly granted liberty to the central agency to file its case.
The controversy stems from multiple FIRs registered by the State police against Adhikari ahead of the 2021 Assembly elections.
Of the 26–27 FIRs, most were quashed by Justice Jay Sengupta, while a SIT comprising officers of both the State police and the CBI was directed to probe the remaining four cases.
Challenging the direction, the CBI argued that it is an independent investigating agency and alleged repeated non-cooperation by the State police in earlier cases. It sought setting aside of the joint SIT order and prayed that the four FIRs be entrusted to it for exclusive investigation.
Adhikari had earlier moved the HC alleging political vendetta through repeated FIRs after switching political allegiance.