Centre, Bengal govt clash in SC over CBI probes in state

Appearing before a bench of Justices B R Gavai and Aravind Kumar, which was hearing a suit filed by the West Bengal government against the Centre, solicitor general Tushar Mehta said it was not maintainable as the relief was sought against CBI probes but the central government had no control over it as the agency was independent and autonomous. The state, which in 2018 withdrew general consent for the CBI, sought a declaration from the court that the agency had no jurisdiction to enter its territory to probe a case without taking its approval on a case-to-case basis. Mehta said allowing the state’s plea would amount to quashing all orders of constitutional courts which directed CBI probes.