Illegal coal mining in Bengal: SC seeks CBI’s reply on plea challenging its jurisdiction to probe
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a plea challenging the Calcutta High Court order which allowed the CBI to investigate a case of alleged illegal mining and transportation of coal in West Bengal without the State’s consent.
The top court also refused to grant protection to Anup Majee, the director of a company engaged in purchase and sale of the dry fuel, who is accused in a case of alleged illegal coal trading in the Asansol-Raniganj belt of West Bengal.
A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and M R Shah issued notice to Centre and CBI and sought their response by March 1 on the plea, which claimed that the central probe agency lacked jurisdiction to lodge an FIR in the case after the withdrawal of general consent by the State government in 2018.
