Kolkata: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has summoned local Trinamool Congress leaders for questioning in the case of harassment of judicial officers assigned to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Mothabari of West Bengal’s Malda district, an official said on Sunday.
They have been asked to appear at the Kaliachak police station in the afternoon. The election agent of Trinamool candidate Sabina Yasmin from Sujapur has also been summoned. In addition, the NIA is reported to have issued notices to known Trinamool leaders and activists in the area.
It was learned that Sabina’s agent, Abdul Rahman, received the notice late on Saturday night. He is the superintendent of the forest and land department of Malda Zilla Parishad. In addition, Trinamool president of Kaliachak block I, Mohammad Sariul, will also have to appear at the police station. According to officials, they have been asked to reach the Kaliachak police station by evening.
The judicial officers appointed by the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court were working to settle the names on the list under consideration of the SIR. Last month, the judges were surrounded and taken ‘hostage’ for almost nine hours in Mothabari of Malda. They were kept inside the Kaliachak-II block office till late at night. There were also allegations of harassment against them. It is alleged that a section of those whose names were omitted from the SIR list staged the protest.
The Election Commission handed over the investigation of the incident to the NIA on the orders of the Supreme Court. However, before that, the state police’s CID arrested one of the main accused, Mofakkerul Islam. He was claimed to be one of the masterminds of this protest programme in court.
A total of 52 people have been arrested so far in this incident. Some of them are in NIA custody, some in judicial custody. Local sources said that Trinamool leaders of the area have been summoned for further questioning about the incidents of that day.
After the summons was served, tension has erupted in the area.
On April 23 and 29, two phases of voting were held in 294 Assembly seats in the state. The results of the election will be known after the counting of votes on May 4.
(IANS)
