kolkata: The Calcutta High Court has ordered transfer of investigation into explosions in Birbhum district to the NIA from the state CID holding that the Central agency has precedence in the investigation of scheduled offence.
A Division bench, comprising Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Bivas Pattanayak, vacated an earlier stay by a Single Bench of the High Court in the NIA probe.
The Bench, in an interim order, directed the CID to cooperate with NIA and to transfer all documents related to its probe into the 2019 explosion in two residential houses in Birbhum if required.
"Investigation by the Central agency whose powers are much wider than the state agency would be more effective and enure to the ends of justice. A prima facie case for transfer of investigation in favour of NIA has been made out," the bench observed in its order.
The court also noted that the Central agency has precedence in the investigation of scheduled offences as laid down in Section 6 of NIA.
Among the scheduled offences which can be investigated by NIA are those under the Explosive Substances Act.The next hearing is on May 10.