How can you say hostile atmosphere prevails in Bengal courts? SC pulls up CBI on post-poll violence plea

"How can you say this... how can you say 'hostile atmosphere prevails in Bengal courts'? Your officers may not like the judicial officers but don't make such statements," the bench of Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Pankaj Mithal said as quoted by NDTV.

The court told Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, "... what kind of grounds are taken in this plea?"

The ASG apologised, admitted the plea was "loosely drafted" and was allowed by the court to withdraw it. A fresh will be filed, the ASG told the top court.

The case pertains to the alleged violence and atrocities that prevailed after the conclusion of 2021 West Bengal assembly elections, where the Trinamool Congress won by a massive margin despite a brave show by the Bharatiya Janata Party.

After the elections, reports of atrocities including crimes like rape or murder had surfaced putting the state administration under scanner.

The Calcutta High Court had pulled up the state police for no complaint filing over crimes like rape and murder. 

The administration was also slammed for taking the case with a "predetermined mindset" in favour of the accused, who are mostly linked to the ruling party.

In December last year, the CBI had filed a plea seeking transfer of the case outside the jurisdiction of West Bengal citing possible intimidation of the witnesses in the state.