The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday withdrew its petitions filed seeking to transfer the trial of 2021 post-poll violence cases out of West Bengal.

Citing “changed circumstances”, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, sought permission to withdraw the transfer petitions before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant.

The petitions had been filed in connection with cases arising from the post-poll violence that followed the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections.

The central agency, in its petitions, cited apprehensions of witness intimidation and threat to fair trial.

The CBI also referred to a report of the National Human Rights Commission recommending trial of all cases investigated by the CBI to be held outside the State (West Bengal).

In May 2026, after the assembly elections, a BJP government led by Suvendhu Adhikari assumed power in the State, replacing a 15-year old rule of Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress.