A division bench of Calcutta High Court on Friday declined to immediately order a CBI probe into the fake vaccine camp case.

The bench of Justice I.P. Mukerji and Justice Aniruddha Roy held there was no need to hand over the case to the CBI at this stage of the investigation.

“The court, if needed, may consider transferring the investigation to the central agency in the future. At present, police are directed to continue their probe,” the division bench said while disposing of four PILs, three of which called for a CBI probe.

Arguing for one of the petitioners, senior advocate and CPM MP Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya said prime accused Debanjan Deb and the other accused had connections with the civic body and its office bearers.

“There is apprehension that a fair probe would not be conducted. Moreover, the crime that the accused had committed was serious in nature. People have no faith in the police or the CID. So it would be wise for the court to ask the CBI to conduct the probe," he said.

Billwadal Bhattacharya, counsel appearing for another petitioner, pointed out that Deb had committed several other crimes.

Appearing for the state, advocate-general Kishore Datta said: “The government is well aware about the gravity of the crime. A special investigation team has been constituted to probe the issue. A chargesheet will be submitted by the investigators soon.”

Datta also assured the court that the government would inform the court about the progress of the investigation.

Deb was produced before a court on Friday and his police custody was extended till July 23.