NIA approaches Calcutta HC in Bhupatinagar attack case

Kolkata: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday approached a single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court with a plea for an urgent hearing on the issue of the April 6 attack on their sleuths at Bhupatinagar in West Bengal’s East Midnapore district.

The single-judge bench of Justice Jay Sengupta has admitted the petition and the matter will come up for hearing in the second half on Tuesday only.

The attack took place in the early morning of April 6 while the NIA sleuths were returning from Bhupatinagar after arresting two local Trinamool Congress leaders namely Balai Charan Maity and Monobrata Jana in connection with a blast there in December 2022 which killed three persons. One NIA official was injured in that attack.

The attack was conducted by a group of villagers reportedly having the backing of the ruling party. However, Trinamool Congress leadership including Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had accused NIA sleuths of provoking the villagers.

Even the family members of one of the arrested TMC leaders had filed a counter FIR against the NIA sleuths accusing the latter of molestation. However, on the very same day, NIA by issuing a statement had rubbished all the allegations and described the controversies arising over the issue as “unfortunate”.

The state police have already sent notice to two NIA officials to join the investigation in connection with the attack on their men. One of the two officials is a complainant in the case and the other is the one who suffered minor injuries.

The officer who suffered minor injuries has also been asked to bring the medical report concerned along with him. Even the NIA sleuths have been asked to bring that vehicle to Bhupatinagar police station which was damaged during the attack.

IANS