SC to hear if CBI can probe coal scam case

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to examine whether the (CBI) could investigate a coal smuggling case in which a notice has been served to Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee’s wife.

The top court decided to ascertain the validity of a February 12 order of the Calcutta high court which permitted the CBI to continue its probe in the state despite the chief minister Mamata Banerjee-led state government, in November 2018, withdrawing general consent to the agency for carrying out probes in West Bengal.

The Calcutta HC order was passed on the appeals filed by the CBI and Anup Majee, an accused in the case, who has now filed a petition in the SC.

The bench of justices DY Chandrachud and MR Shah issued a notice to the CBI on the question whether these petitions before the division bench were legally maintainable and if the high court could pass the order on the CBI probe.

During the hearing, the West Bengal government, through senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, disputed the CBI’S jurisdiction, saying that the state was contemplating to file an appeal in the apex court to challenge the order on the CBI probe.

The court has asked the CBI to make submissions on March 1.