(MENAFN- Live Mint) "The Supreme Court of India adjourned hearing of West Bengal government's plea challenging Calcutta High Court order which directed a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into allegations of land grabbing and sexual assault in Sandeshkhali till July.“Why should state protect interest of private individuals,” the top court observed during the hearing today. To this, West Bengal replied,“There are comments against the state which is being challenged as state has carried out fair investigation.”In its plea before the top court, the state government said the high court's April 10, 2024 order demoralised the entire state machinery, including the police force.\"The high court in a very generic order directed the State to provide the required support to the CBI without any guidelines, which amounts to usurping the powers of the state police to investigate any cognisable offence in the Sandeshkhali area, even if the same is not related to the allegations levelled by the PIL petitioners,\" the plea said.A team of NSG commandoes was sent to investigate after the central agency received inputs about a large cache of arms - including foreign-made pistols - hidden in Sandeshkhali.
The CBI registered an FIR against 'five people and unknown others' following the Calcutta High Court order. The federal probe agency is looking into several alleged offences in the Sandeshkhali region - including illegal land acquisitions and instances of violence and sexual assault against women officials were attacked on January 5 by a mob when they went to Sandeshkhali to search the premises of now-suspended Trinamool Congress leader Shahjahan Sheikh in connection with a ration distribution scam case women of Sandeshkhali have led protests against the ruling TMC and party leader Shahjahan, accusing him and his associates of perpetrating atrocities on them as well as gobbling up their land. Several women have also accused Shajahan and his aides of \"sexual assault\" under coercion.
(With inputs from agencies)
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