Judicial officers' gherao in Malda: SC transfers probe to NIA

The Supreme Court has ordered the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to investigate the Malda incident involving an attack on judicial officers, raising concerns about political influence and bureaucratic integrity in West Bengal.

Malda hostage incident

IMAGE: Accused individuals being taken to court by the police in connection with the gherao of judicial officers over SIR, in Malda on Friday. Photograph: ANI Video Grab

Key Points

Supreme Court transfers Malda case involving attack on judicial officers to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The court cited concerns about the credibility of West Bengal's bureaucracy and political interference.
The NIA will interrogate 26 people arrested in connection with the Malda incident.
West Bengal Chief Secretary was criticised for not responding to calls from the Calcutta high court Chief Justice during the incident.
The Malda incident, involving the gherao of judicial officers, was deemed pre-planned and motivated by the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court on Monday exercised its plenary power to transfer cases related to gherao and attack on seven judicial officers engaged in Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Malda district to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi said that the credibility of West Bengal bureaucracy is being lowered and politics is being brought into the secretariat and government offices.

The bench ordered that 26 people arrested by the state police in connection with the Malda incident be interrogated by the NIA even if they are in judicial custody.

SC pulls up chief secy for not taking HC CJ's calls

The top court pulled up West Bengal Chief Secretary Dushyant Nariala for not picking up the calls of the Calcutta High Court Chief Justice on the day of the incident on April 1, when a gherao of judicial officers took place.

The bench asked the chief secretary to apologise to the Calcutta high court Chief Justice for not taking the calls and said it represents the failure of the district administration.

The top court said the Malda incident, in which judicial officers engaged in SIR work were gheraoed for hours, was actually pre-planned and motivated.

Seven hundred judicial officers from West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand were deployed in the ongoing SIR process to deal with over 60 lakh objections of those who are excluded from the voter lists during the SIR process.