New Delhi: The Supreme Court has declined to entertain the plea for a CBI probe into the alleged gang-rape of a minor tribal girl allegedly by BSF personnel in Odisha's Koraput district in October last year.

The girl subsequently committed suicide on January 22 after her reported efforts to get the culprits prosecuted had failed to get any response from the authorities.

The petition in the apex court was filed by the victim's brother pleading for a CBI probe on the ground that the local police and authorities were shielding the accused.

The bench of Justice A.K. Goel and Justice U.U. Lalit declined to entertain the plea after Odisha's standing counsel Sanjeeb Panigrahi told the bench that the PIL was a publicity stunt as Orissa High Court had received half-a-dozen PILs on the same issue by various individuals and organisations seeking similar plea for a CBI probe.

Justice Lalit then said the court was transferring the present PIL filed by the brother of the victim to the high court for consideration, along with similar petitions on the issue.

It was claimed by the family members of the victim and local activists that though complaints were lodged against the accused personnel, no action was taken despite representations being made to Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik and other high functionaries.

However, the BJD had alleged that the allegations were false and part of an orchestrated campaign to malign the state government in Odisha and the image of Naveen.