The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested four persons, including AIMIM’s candidate in the West Bengal Assembly elections Mostahid Haque, for their alleged direct involvement in the detention of judicial officers during Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter list duties in Mothabari, Malda. According to the investigating agency, the four accused were directly linked to the incident in which the local BDO office was besieged. With these arrests, the total number of people taken into custody in connection with the sensational Mothabari case has risen to 72.
The country’s apex court had earlier issued strict directives to the NIA to expedite the investigation into the sensitive case. On May 11, Supreme Court Justice Surya Kant set a maximum timeframe of two months for the completion of the probe. Acting within this deadline, the NIA moved swiftly and filed its first charge sheet last Tuesday, covering four of the twelve cases registered in connection with the Mothabari incident. The charge sheet was submitted before the City Sessions Court in Kolkata.
According to NIA sources, among the four cases included in the charge sheet, two involve three accused persons each. Another case names 15 accused individuals, while the fourth lists 10 persons. TMC leaders Mofakkerul Islam has been named as an accused in two of these cases, while Ekramul Badnani has also been prominently mentioned in the charge sheet.
The central investigating agency stated that the charge sheet has been prepared not merely on the basis of hearsay, but is backed by digital and technological evidence as well as strong testimonies from multiple eyewitnesses. Detailed accounts outlining the roles played by the accused on the day of the incident have been presented before the court.
The charge sheet further alleges that the accused formed an unlawful assembly, blocked roads, and illegally detained judicial officers who were carrying out official SIR duties in Malda district. The situation in Mothabari reportedly turned volatile during the SIR process, allegedly due to anger among certain individuals whose names had been excluded from the list under consideration. This led to a gherao of the presiding judicial officers, who were detained until late at night, sparking concern within the judiciary.
Recognising the gravity of the situation, the Supreme Court had initiated a suo motu hearing on the matter. Subsequently, acting on the court’s directives, the Election Commission of India handed over the investigation to the NIA. As part of its ongoing probe, the central agency has now filed its first charge sheet within the stipulated timeframe, marking a significant development in the high-profile case.
Also read: TMC's Firhad Hakim resigns as Kolkata mayor
Follow us
