SC Dismisses Plea For CBI Probe In Alleged Attack Against TMC's Mamata Banerjee

CBI probe in Mamata attack: A Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde, on Friday refused to entertain a plea seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged attack against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The petitioners were directed to the Calcutta High Court and have withdrawn their plea from the SC.

On March 10, Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Banerjee was allegedly attacked in Nandigram, where she was visiting to file her nomination from the constituency for the state assembly elections. She claims she was pushed by some men, with her party leaders later alleging a "deep-rooted conspiracy" by the opposition. Full story here.

Through the high-octane election campaign, which sees her locked in battle for the Nandigram turf against aide-turned-rival Suvendhu Adhikari from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Banerjee has been conducting rallies bound to a wheelchair. Our coverage on the Bengal election 2021 here. 

"Go To Calcutta HC": Top Court Turns Down Plea For CBI Probe In Mamata Attack

The plea for a probe into the incident by India's premier investigating agency was filed in court by three practicing lawyers, via advocate Vivek Narayan Sharma. Addressing the SC bench on their plea, Sharma, as per Bar & Bench stated, "It (Mamata Banerjee's leg injury) could be staged. She is shaking her legs."

The petition also raised concerns of blame befalling officers of the Election Commission, whom Banerjee has previously lashed out at for alleged 'inaction' in the aftermath of the Nandigram incident. Alongside, it sought due electoral guidelines for avoiding similar events in the future.

In March, the EC had found a letter by senior TMC leaders "sketchy," as regards evidence of violence against Banerjee, slamming TMC's claims as being "full of insinuations."

Banerjee has since locked horns with the EC many times, following incidents of violence at poll booths across Bengal. Read more here. In the latest, the EC has issued the TMC supremo a show-cause notice for communal speech in appealing to "minority voters" at a rally held in Tarakeswar.