A division bench of the high court on Monday ended the hearing on two appeals — one filed by the state government and the other by the Enforcement Directorate — against an order for a joint probe by the Bengal police and the CBI into an attack on an ED team in Sandeshkhali on January 5.
The bench, headed by Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam, did not give its verdict on Monday.
The ED team had gone to raid the house of Trinamul Congress leader Shahjahan Sheikh at Sarberia village in the Sandeshkhali block, in North 24-Parganas, in connection with irregularities in the public distribution system when it came under attack from villagers.
The mob was allegedly instigated by Shahjahan, who is now in custody.
Around three weeks after the attack, the ED had moved a petition before Justice Sengupta and sought an order for a CBI probe into the attack.
The single-judge bench of Justice Jay Sengupta of the high court had announced the formation of a joint investigation team made up of officers of the state police and the CBI to probe the attack on the ED team.
Taking part in the case, counsel for the state government submitted that the Bengal police had already started the probe on the basis of three FIRs lodged after the attack.
The state advocate general submitted that since an investigation by the state police was underway, the court should not disturb the process.
After hearing both parties, Justice Sengupta constituted a special investigation team with senior officers from the CBI and the state police.
However, the state government and the ED both moved separate appeals against the order.
While the ED wants the CBI to investigate the attack independently, the state police pleaded that they be allowed to handle the probe without any interference from the CBI.