Kolkata Court Grants 2-Week NIA Custody For 15 Accused Of Attacking Judicial Officers In Malda Over SIR-Related Grievances

Fifteen persons arrested by the National Investigation Agency in connection with the alleged attack and illegal detention of judicial officers during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in West Bengal's Malda district have been remanded to two weeks' custody by a special NIA court.

The arrests were made during a large-scale operation carried out by the NIA in Malda in connection with two separate incidents involving road blockades and the alleged confinement of judicial officers engaged in electoral roll revision work ahead of the Assembly elections.

The special court granted the NIA's plea seeking custodial interrogation of all 15 accused for two weeks. The agency is probing the alleged larger conspiracy behind the coordinated blockades and attacks on judicial officers. Investigations are also continuing to identify other persons allegedly involved in the incidents.

The case stems from violence that erupted on April 1 during protests linked to the SIR exercise at the Mothabari Block Office in Malda. Reports indicated that seven judicial officers deputed for the exercise were surrounded by a mob and allegedly confined inside the block office for several hours. Their convoy was allegedly attacked again while leaving the area.

The incident had triggered sharp observations from the Supreme Court, which termed the episode a serious assault on the administration of justice and directed that the probe be transferred either to the CBI or the NIA. The Election Commission subsequently handed over the investigation to the NIA.

Earlier, West Bengal Police had arrested several persons in the matter, including advocate Mofakkerul Islam, Trinamool Congress Kaliachak Block President Mohammad Sariul Sheikh, ISF Gram Panchayat member Golam Rabbani and ISF candidate Shahjahan Ali Kadri. Police had described the violence as a “pre-planned attack” rather than a spontaneous protest.