New Delhi, 25 June (H.S.):

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested another accused in connection with the violence, road blockade, and illegal confinement of judicial officials that occurred during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls ahead of the Assembly elections in West Bengal’s Malda district. The arrested accused has been identified as local political leader Sayem Chowdhury alias Babu Chowdhury from the Mothabari area of Malda.

The NIA said on Thursday that Sayem Chowdhury was taken into custody following questioning at the agency’s branch office in Kolkata. With this arrest, the total number of accused apprehended in the case has risen to 30.

According to the agency, it is investigating more than a dozen cases linked to mob protests, violence, and the unlawful detention of judicial officials during the Special Intensive Revision of the voters’ list conducted in Malda district ahead of the Assembly elections.

The investigation revealed that Sayem Chowdhury was a key accused in the incident that took place on April 1 at the Block-II BDO office, where judicial officials were allegedly wrongfully confined. He was part of the mob that disrupted law and order and attacked police personnel deployed on duty. Nine police officers were injured in the attack.

According to the NIA, the accused had delivered a speech in front of the BDO office a day before the incident, allegedly inciting people to participate in violent protests. The agency stated that he conspired with other co-accused and played an active role in unlawful activities involving violence, intimidation, and obstruction of official duties during the SIR campaign.

The NIA said that its investigation is continuing to uncover the larger conspiracy behind the widespread pre-election violence that erupted in Malda in April and to identify all individuals involved. The agency began its probe into the cases following directions from the Supreme Court, which had taken suo motu cognisance of the violence that occurred in April.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar