Taking up a PIL filed by Cuttack archbishop Raphael Cheenath, seeking a CBI probe into the recent incidents of violence in Orissa, a Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan also directed the state Government to inform it if any permission had been granted to VHP leader Praveen Togadia for his proposed yatra carrying the ashes of slain leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati.

The hearing saw Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam, representing the Union Government, question claims made by the counsel for the Orissa Government, including the purpose behind the visit of Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil along with a delegation to the state on Wednesday.

While the Orissa Government counsel told the Bench that Patil had gone to the state to find out whether the allegations in the PIL were correct or not, Subramaniam asserted that the minister's visit was to assess if the people were being provided protection or not.

Hearing in the matter will resume on Thursday.

Cheenath’s counsel Colin Gonsalves told the court that since Tuesday, when the matter was first mentioned in the apex court, there had been incidents of more violence against Christians in the state. He said a church was destroyed while 100-odd families belonging to the community were forced to leave one of the riot-hit villages.

Gonsalves also requested the court to intervene to stop Togadia's yatra, asserting it would foment more trouble in the area, which is already tense. He alleged that the state Government and its police force were not cooperating and assisting the central paramilitary forces, including the Rapid Action Force and CRPF, which was clear from the reported statement of the Commandant of the CRPF.

Subramaniam told the Bench that the Centre was keeping a close watch on the situation. He said a senior official from the state should assure the court that the Government would fully assist the paramilitary forces in protecting lives of people in riot-hit areas.

However, the counsel for the Orissa Government contended that the allegations of the archbishop were not correct. He also denied any knowledge of Tagodia’s plan to take out a yatra in the state, asserting he was hearing it for the first time in the court. He told the Bench that the situation in the riot-hit areas was under control and that the Crime Branch was already probing the incidents. However, the Bench said it was not concerned about the veracity of the allegation. “At this stage we are only concerned with the protection of lives.”