The West Bengal government petition has been filed by senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal
The West Bengal government and the Trinamool Congress have separately filed two petitions in the Supreme Court today requesting the Supreme Court to monitor the CBI probe into the Saradha scam.
The West Bengal government petition has been filed by senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal, who was the law minister in the UPA government.
The West Bengal Congress leadership has "regretted" that Mr Sibal is representing the state government in this case. "It's a bad thing," said West Bengal Congress chief and party MP Adhir Chowdhury. "It is regrettable to have to explain Kapil Sibal's action. He is an overrated professional and underrated political element," Mr Chowdhury told NDTV.
The state government petition says that the information on the Saradha probe is reaching other political parties before the accused gets that information and because of the leakage, the image of the West Bengal government is affected.
While handing over the case to CBI last April, the top court had said it won't monitor the case unless the need arises. The state government's petition says the need has arisen to monitor.
The Trinamool petition has been filed by party general secretary Mahua Moitra. In the petition, she has made similar points - that there seem to be links between the CBI and the BJP and selective leaks from the investigating agency to the BJP. That is why BJP leaders are giving reactions on Saradha probe developments even before the CBI's actions and decisions become public, the petition says.
Former Additional Solicitor General Vivek Tanka appeared for the Trinamool Congress.
Both petitions have been filed before the bench headed by Justice TS Thakur. The court is expected to hear both petitions later this week.
In Kolkata, the Opposition parties have said it is not surprising that the state government and the Trinamool have gone to Supreme Court. After all, the CBI probe has resulted in two Trinamool MPs and one minister being put behind bars and the party's all India general secretary Mukul Roy also called for questioning.