A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court has ordered 36 individuals, arrested in connection with the recent violence in Beldanga, Murshidabad district, West Bengal, to remain in judicial custody until February 19. Among the accused, 31 were virtually presented before the court due to security concerns raised by the Murshidabad district police. Five minors among the accused were not produced virtually.
The court’s decision to extend judicial custody for all 36 accused individuals until February 19 came after a virtual hearing. The next hearing on this matter is scheduled for February 17. During the proceedings, the West Bengal government’s counsel raised concerns about the NIA’s involvement, suggesting it was influenced by the upcoming state Assembly elections.
This incident marks the second time the NIA has faced challenges in physically presenting the accused before the court due to security escort issues raised by the Murshidabad district police. The NIA had previously encountered a similar situation on February 5, attributing the failure to the state police’s inability to provide adequate personnel for escort duty. The Murshidabad district police cited their engagement in Higher Secondary examinations as the reason for not fulfilling the NIA’s requisition for security escorts.
The NIA’s investigation into the Beldanga violence was initiated following a directive from the Calcutta High Court, allowing the Union Home Ministry to involve the central agency. The violence erupted over false news concerning the alleged murder of a migrant worker from Murshidabad in Jharkhand. Subsequently, the Jharkhand Police clarified that the worker had died by suicide, refuting earlier reports of murder.
The Supreme Court, on February 11, dismissed the West Bengal government’s challenge to the Calcutta High Court’s order and instructed the NIA to provide a sealed status report to the Calcutta High Court. The report is expected to assess if a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) is substantiated based on the collected evidence.
