The National Investigation Agency (NIA) team, appointed by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to look into the harassment case involving seven judicial officers in Malda district, West Bengal, will visit Kaliachak to speak with the affected officers. The NIA has not yet disclosed details about the team or their investigative plan. However, sources suggest that apart from interviewing the affected officers and understanding their ordeal, the NIA may also question the 18 individuals previously arrested by the West Bengal Police in connection with the case.
Among the 18 arrested individuals is Maulana Shahjahan Ali, the All India Secular Front (AISF) candidate from Mothabari Assembly constituency in Malda district. Following a Supreme Court directive on Thursday, the ECI instructed the NIA to commence the investigation by Friday morning, choosing between the NIA and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The NIA is expected to present its initial report to the Supreme Court on April 6. Concurrently, in response to the judges’ harassment in Kaliachak, the ECI urged the West Bengal Police to take strict measures against unauthorized gatherings, particularly near the Chief Electoral Officer’s office in central Kolkata. The office has been a focal point for protests, primarily by groups linked to the ruling Trinamool Congress.
On Wednesday night, seven judicial officers, including three women, were held captive at a block office in Kaliachak by voters dissatisfied with the deletion of their names during the adjudication process. Law enforcement intervened around 1 a.m. on Thursday, dispersing the protesters, rescuing the officers, and relocating them to safety after a nine-hour ordeal. Reports also emerged of an attempted attack on the convoy during the officers’ transfer to a secure location.
