The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has called in local Trinamool Congress leaders for questioning regarding the harassment of judicial officers involved in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Mothabari, West Bengal. They are required to appear at the Kaliachak police station. Additionally, the election agent of Trinamool candidate Sabina Yasmin from Sujapur has also been summoned, along with other known Trinamool figures in the region.
Sabina’s agent, Abdul Rahman, who is the superintendent of the forest and land department of Malda Zilla Parishad, received the notice late on Saturday. Furthermore, Trinamool president of Kaliachak block I, Mohammad Sariul, has been instructed to present himself at the police station by evening. The judicial officers, appointed by the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court, were working on the SIR list when they were allegedly surrounded and held ‘hostage’ for nearly nine hours in Mothabari last month.
Following the incident, the Election Commission transferred the case to the NIA as per the Supreme Court’s directive. Prior to this, the state police’s CID had arrested Mofakkerul Islam, considered a key instigator of the protest. A total of 52 individuals have been arrested in connection with the event, with some under NIA custody and others in judicial custody. Local reports indicate that further questioning of Trinamool leaders in the area is pending.
The summoning of the Trinamool leaders has led to heightened tensions in the region. The voting for 294 Assembly seats in West Bengal took place in two phases on April 23 and 29. The election results are expected to be revealed after the vote count on May 4.
