{
  "id": 16952765,
  "title": "CBI drops pleas to transfer Bengal poll violence trials",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/28/cbi-drops-pleas-to-transfer-bengal-poll-violence-trials",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-28T19:25:59.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Economic Times",
    "slug": "the-economic-times",
    "url": "https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/changed-circumstances-cbi-withdraws-pleas-to-transfer-2021-west-bengal-poll-violence-trials/articleshow/135278765.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "New Delhi: The CBI recently abandoned its attempts to have criminal trials related to the violent aftermath of the 2021 West Bengal legislative elections moved to courts outside the state. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the federal agency, asked permission to withdraw the transfer petitions before a Supreme Court bench chaired by Chief Justice Surya Kant. The decision came after a review of changed circumstances. The CBI had initially sought the transfer of criminal proceedings arising from the post-poll violence, citing worries about witness intimidation and doubts about the fairness of trials in West Bengal. The agency also cited a recommendation from the National Human Rights Commission, which suggested that such cases be tried in a different jurisdiction. The withdrawal puts an end to the CBI's long-standing effort to shift the proceedings outside Bengal. Earlier in September 2024, the Supreme Court had taken issue with the CBI's allegations of a hostile judicial environment and witness intimidation across West Bengal, questioning the allegations' broad scope and their potential to malign the entire state judiciary. The 2021 post-poll violence cases stemmed from allegations of attacks, intimidation, and other offenses following the assembly election results in West Bengal. The CBI had conducted investigations into several cases based on judicial orders, while the transfer of trials remained a distinct issue before the Supreme Court.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}