After three unsuccessful attempts, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) will make another effort to present the seven accused, arrested in the Beldanga unrest case in West Bengal, before a city court on Thursday. This marks the fourth try to bring the accused to court, as the state police had not provided the necessary escort on the previous three occasions to transfer them from Murshidabad district to Kolkata.
The NIA, investigating the Beldanga unrest as per the Calcutta High Court’s directive, has stated that if the state government fails to provide an escort, it will arrange one itself to ensure the accused appear in court. However, it remains uncertain whether the state police will cooperate this time.
Sources indicate that the NIA plans to request custody of the seven accused for further investigation into the unrest. The key question now is whether the accused will be presented in the city sessions court on Thursday and if the NIA will secure their custody.
It is worth noting that the NIA had approached the Calcutta High Court last Friday, seeking intervention to compel the West Bengal Police to submit the case diary related to last month’s violence to the NIA officials investigating the matter.
Last month, Beldanga in Murshidabad district witnessed turmoil following the death of Alauddin Sheikh, a migrant worker from the region, in Jharkhand. The incident led to protests, roadblocks, and disruptions in train services, resulting in the arrest of 36 individuals, including an AIMIM leader, in connection with the unrest.
