The CBI on Thursday filed an appeal before a division bench of Calcutta High Court, challenging an order passed by a single bench which had directed the transfer of the probe in four cases against Suvendu Adhikari to a joint investigation team of the central agency and state police.

On October 23, Justice Jay Sengupta had ordered the joint probe in the four cases registered with Contai and Maniktala police stations against the leader of the Opposition in the Bengal Assembly.

On Thursday, the division bench headed by acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul allowed a CBI counsel to file the appeal against Justice Sengupta’s order, saying the agency was not ready to conduct a joint probe with the state police.

In his order dated October 23, Justice Sengupta had also quashed 15 other cases lodged against Adhikari either by the Trinamool Congress or suo motu by the police. That part of the order has not been challenged by the central agency.

“The appeal is likely to be heard by the division bench in the next week, “ a court
source said.