Courts can order CBI probe without state govt’s OK: SC

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New Delhi, Feb.17: The Supreme Court has delivered a big judgment,  giving courts the power to order CBI investigations  without the consent of state governments.

The Supreme Court did caution that this should apply  only in exceptional cases with national and international ramifications.

In April 2001, the West Bengal government had challenged a CBI probe ordered by the Calcutta High Court into  the alleged killing of 11 Trinamool Congress workers in a firing in the Midnapore district.

It’s that case that has resulted in today’s verdict.

The Bengal government had argued that neither the High Court nor the Supreme Court has the power

to order a CBI investigation into allegation of scandals or other issues.  It had also claimed that even the union government could not order a CBI probe without an ok from the state government in question.