The Supreme Court on Monday sent notices to the Centre and Madhya Pradesh government, asking them why the Central Bureau of Investigation was not asked to probe the Bhopal jailbreak incident in October 2016.

Eight men, suspected to be a part of the banned Students of Islamic Movement of India outfit, had escaped Bhopal Central Jail after killing a security guard on October 31, 2016. Later that day, they were shot dead in an encounter at Eintkhedi village.

The Madhya Pradesh government was criticised for its handling of the jailbreak and the encounter, and the lawyers of seven of the eight undertrials had asked for a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry.

Several investigations have been ordered into the jailbreak, as well as the encounter, including a judicial probe into how the SIMI men were killed.