The CBI has agreed to drop its appeal against a Calcutta High Court order released on May 21 that permitted four politicians, including three from the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), to be kept in house arrest rather than judicial custody following their arrest in the Narada scam.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had filed an appeal with the Supreme Court against a May 21 order by the Calcutta High Court order that the four TMC leaders implicated in the Narada case be kept under house arrest for the time being rather than being held in judicial custody.
The CBI, in its appeal to the Supreme Court, requested that the larger Bench hearing, scheduled for today before a five-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court, be postponed.
Since a five-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court is already hearing the Narada bribery case, a vacation bench comprising Justices Vineet Saran and B R Gavai allowed Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, to withdraw the appeal and lift all of the grievances in the high court.
The bench said that “we have not expressed any opinion on the merits of the issue, and our findings do not represent our views on the merits of the matter,” adding that the state of West Bengal and its representatives are free to submit their arguments to the high court.
On May 21, the high court ordered the transfer of two West Bengal officials, an MLA, and a former Kolkata mayor from jail to house arrest.
Acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal presided over a division bench that disagreed on the matter of retrieving the four accused’s bail stay.
The case was heard by a five-judge bench of the High Court on May 24, and the CBI’s request for an adjournment was denied.
The solicitor general has requested that the case be adjourned until Friday in the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court inquires as to why the CBI and the Central government did not move against political figures who attempted to “besiege the CBI office.”
The Supreme Court stated that the question is one of denial of liberty. How does the HC issue a detention order without giving the accused notice?
The Supreme Court, on the other hand, refuses to rule on the CBI’s appeal of the HC’s order for the convicted in the Narada sting case to be kept on house arrest.
