Ram Navami violence: SC to hear WB govt's plea against HC order on July 21

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The Supreme Court of India has said that it will hear the West Bengal government's petition on July 21. The petition challenges the Calcutta High Court's decision to transfer the investigation of the incidents of violence during Ram Navami celebrations in the state to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The bench, headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, inquired whether the six First Information Reports (FIRs) filed by the state police are related to the same incident and if there is any overlap between them. The matter has been scheduled for further hearing on July 21.

Previously, on May 19, the Supreme Court had declined to stay the high court order that transferred the investigation to the NIA. The NIA had registered a case in accordance with the high court's directive.

During the hearing on May 19, senior advocates representing the West Bengal government had requested that the NIA only investigate one of the FIRs related to the Chandan Nagar incident, while the remaining five FIRs be handled by the state police. They argued that the involvement of the NIA should be limited to cases that impact national security or sovereignty.

Senior advocates representing top state BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari stated that the NIA had already initiated an investigation and that it would continue even if the high court order was stayed.

The West Bengal government has criticized the high court's decision to transfer the probe to the NIA, asserting that no explosives were used and claiming that the order was politically motivated.

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The high court had ordered an NIA probe into the violence during and after the Ram Navami celebrations in Shibpur (Howrah district) and Rishra (Hooghly district). It had directed the state police to hand over all FIRs, documents, seized materials, and CCTV footage to the NIA within two weeks.

The Supreme Court will now consider the West Bengal government's petition challenging the transfer of the investigation to the NIA. (With inputs from PTI)