India News | West Bengal's Suit on CBI Probe Despite Withdrawal of General Consent Maintainable: SC

New Delhi, Jul 10 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Wednesday held as maintainable a suit filed by the West Bengal government which alleged that the CBI was continue probes into various cases despite the state's withdrawal of general consent on November 16, 2018.

A bench of Justices B R Gavai and Sandeep Mehta said the state's suit shall proceed in accordance with law on its own merits.

Also Read | Jammu and Kashmir: After Kathua Terror Attack, Encounter Breaks Out Between Terrorists and Security Forces in Doda; Search Operation Underway To Track Hiding Terrorists (Watch Video).

It fixed the matter for hearing on August 13 for framing of issues.

The apex court had on May 8 reserved its verdict on the maintainability of the suit filed by the state.

Also Read | Unnao Road Accident: PM Narendra Modi Announces Ex-Gratia of INR 2 Lakh to Kin of Deceased in Uttar Pradesh Tragedy, INR 50,000 to Injured; CM Yogi Adityanath and Rajnath Singh Express Condolences.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for West Bengal, had argued that once the state had withdrawn its consent on November 16, 2018, the Centre could not allow the probe agency to enter the state for investigation.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, had said that the Union government or its departments do not exercise any supervisory control over Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probes.

The Centre had raised preliminary objections about the maintainability of the lawsuit filed by the West Bengal government, contending that there was no cause of action against the Union of India.

The West Bengal government has filed an original suit in the apex court against the Centre under Article 131 of the Constitution, alleging that the CBI has been filing FIRs and proceeding with investigations despite the state having withdrawn the general consent to the federal agency to probe cases within its territorial jurisdiction.

Article 131 deals with the Supreme Court's original jurisdiction in a dispute between the Centre and one or more states.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)