Kolkata, 05 June (H.S.) : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has made further arrests in connection with the Mothabari incident in West Bengal’s Malda district, detaining four more accused in cases related to road blockades and the alleged illegal detention of judicial officers. With these latest arrests, the total number of arrests in the case has risen to 72.

According to the NIA, the arrests were made on Friday and are linked to four separate cases connected to protests and violence that erupted during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process of electoral rolls.

The case pertains to an incident on April 1 at the Mothabari block office in Malda, where a protest during the voter list revision process allegedly turned violent. It is alleged that judicial officers on duty were attacked and obstructed from carrying out their official responsibilities.

Sources said that police had initially rescued the judicial officers from the spot to ensure their safety, but later reports suggested that their convoy was also attacked.

So far, 12 FIRs have been registered in connection with the incident. The NIA has filed charge sheets in four of these cases, naming a total of 31 accused.

The agency stated that the accused were identified based on witness statements, CCTV footage, and digital evidence collected during the investigation. The charges include road blockade, violence, and obstruction of government work.

The Supreme Court has directed that the investigation be completed expeditiously. Earlier, the court had instructed the agency to ensure time-bound progress in the case, following which the NIA filed charge sheets in four cases at a special NIA court in Kolkata on June 2.

The investigation is currently ongoing, and efforts are underway to trace remaining absconding accused persons.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh