The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has apprehended 15 additional suspects related to the incident on April 1, where seven judicial officers were taken captive during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) phase in Mothabari, Malda district, West Bengal. These arrests followed extensive raids and search operations conducted by NIA officials in various locations across Malda district. The 15 accused were identified through CCTV footage from Mothabari on the night of the attack on the judicial officers during the SIR process.
With these recent arrests, the total number of individuals detained in connection with the case has now reached 65. The apprehended suspects were taken into custody from Mothabari and Kaliachak areas in Malda district. The judicial officers targeted were appointed by the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court and were actively engaged in processing names on the judicial adjudication list under review during the SIR.
On April 1, a group of agitators surrounded the judicial officers at Mothabari, protesting the SIR exercise. The officers were held captive at the Kaliachak-2 block office until late at night. Allegations of harassment were also raised against the detained officers, with claims that some protesters, whose names were excluded from the SIR list, orchestrated the demonstrations. The Election Commission of India (ECI) transferred the investigation of the incident to the NIA following a directive from the Supreme Court.
Before the NIA took over the case, the state police’s CID arrested Mofakkerul Islam, a professional advocate, who was implicated as one of the key figures behind the protests. Subsequently, the NIA assumed control of the investigation, progressively identifying and apprehending the suspects involved. The Supreme Court recently instructed the NIA to expedite the inquiry, with the Chief Justice of India, Surya Kanta, ordering the maintenance of security measures for the judicial officers involved in the SIR process until further notice. The NIA presented a status report on the investigation to the apex court on May 11.
