The Election Commission of India on Thursday handed over the investigation into the mob sit-in of judicial officials in West Bengal’s Malda district to the NIA, following directions from the Supreme Court.
The development comes after a mob in Malda surrounded a group of seven judicial employees, including three women, during an SIR exercise in Malda around 4 pm. The workers were detained for more than eight hours by a group of protesters at the BDO office, after which they were rescued around midnight.
In a letter dated April 2 to the central agency, the EC cited the Supreme Court order and directed it to investigate Wednesday’s incident. An ECI spokesperson said the NIA team will be in the poll-bound state on Friday.
Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court criticized the Bengal administration for its “total failure” and inaction, and ordered a probe into the events by the CBI or the NIA.
What did the European Commission say in the letter to the NIA?
In the letter to the NIA, the EC urged the probe agency to investigate the Malda incident and submit a preliminary report to the Supreme Court.
“In this regard, I am directed to request necessary investigation/investigation into the matter and submit a preliminary investigation report directly to the Hon’ble Court as per the above directions,” the EC told the NIA Director General in a letter.
The incident took place during an SIR exercise in Kaliachuk area of Malda district, where “anti-social elements” of seven judicial officers picketed the BDO office starting 3:30 pm on Wednesday.
Security forces rescued the officers around midnight after a crowd attacked them over the alleged deletion of names from electoral rolls, officials said.
