Continuing its probe into the Malda pre-poll Special Intensive Revision (SIR)-related incidents, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has apprehended two more suspects. Maulana Imran Ali and Rinku SK were taken into custody for their involvement in the illegal detention of judicial officers, highway blockades, and violence during the electoral rolls exercise in West Bengal’s Malda district. NIA has filed charge sheets in four out of the 12 cases related to the violence and protests in Malda.
The recent arrests are in connection with separate cases from the previously charged ones. Currently, 35 accused individuals are in judicial custody regarding the Malda violence, with investigations ongoing in all 12 cases. Imran and Rinku were arrested following NIA’s searches, revealing their active participation in violent assemblies obstructing the SIR exercise. They were part of mobs that attacked police officers, causing injuries and chaos during the protests.
NIA’s investigation, initiated by the Supreme Court after April’s violence in Malda, aims to uncover the broader conspiracy behind the incidents. In a recent development, 31 accused were charged in four cases related to road blockades and the alleged illegal detention of judicial officers during the electoral rolls revision. The accused face charges under various laws, including the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), National Highways Act, and West Bengal Maintenance of Public Order Act.
