The Supreme Court today issued notice to the Centre and seven States on a plea seeking return of unused land, acquired for setting up SEZ, to farmers.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice JS Khehar and Justices DY Chandrachud and LN Rao sought responses within four weeks from the Centre Telangana and Andhra Pradesh on the PIL.

The PIL filed by SEZ Farmers Protection, Welfare Associations, an NGO, has also sought a CBI probe in the matter.

It has been alleged that land has been acquired for setting up of Special Economic Zones (SEZ) by the States and mostly the land is lying unused and some corporates have even taken loan on these plots.