Kolkata, Oct 24 (PTI) – The Calcutta High Court has ordered the transfer of investigation in four cases against BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari to a joint special investigation team (SIT) that includes both the CBI and the state police.

In a significant ruling, Justice Jay Sengupta lifted a protection previously granted to Adhikari in 2022, which prevented the registration of any FIR against him without the court’s permission. This decision was made while adjudicating three cases involving the BJP leader and the West Bengal state government.

Additionally, Justice Sengupta quashed FIRs filed against Adhikari in 15 separate cases across the state. This follows a prior order from Justice Rajasekhar Mantha in December 2022, which had provided protection to Adhikari by instructing the state police not to register further FIRs against him without the high court’s consent.

Adhikari argued in court that the FIRs were being filed against him at various police stations in the state to obstruct his duties as a people’s representative, allegedly at the behest of the ruling party in West Bengal.