Centre tells SC WB police intimidated custom officials

The incident happened when they intercepted wife of sitting TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee in Kolkata airport.

The Union government on Friday claimed before the Supreme Court there is "constitutional anarchy" and "complete breakdown of law and order" in West Bengal as the state police in yet another instance intimidated custom officials when they intercepted wife of sitting TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee in Kolkata airport.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta referred to the incident saying the police had registered an FIR also against the custom officials just because they checked baggage of the lady. Everything was recorded in the CCTV footage.

"What do you want us to do," a bench presided over by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi asked Mehta.

"I just want to bring it into notice of the court," he said.

The bench, however, told him, "If you want us to take any action, why don't you file an application."

Mehta agreed to file a formal application even as senior advocate Abhishek M Singhvi contended that all these things were being raised for the media without the state government being allowed to counter it.

Banerjee is nephew of WB Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Mehta took the opportunity to raise the issue as the apex court was to examine the CBI's plea seeking a direction to Bharti Airtel and Vodafone, to provide information about the call detail records of certain accused, which were demanded and made available to the West Bengal police in the Saradha chit fund scam case.

The court issued notice to both the companies to April 8.

Both the companies were represented by senior advocates Mukesh Rohatgi and Amit Sibal.

The top court is already seized up with the contempt proceedings against WB Chief Secretary and DGP and the then Kolkata CP Rajeev Kumar for allegedly attacking CBI sleuths when they tried to quiz the IPS officer.