Earlier in the day (on 7th April 2024), the East Midnapore Police filed an FIR against NIA and CRPF officials on charges of ‘molestation’, a day after the team was attacked by a mob while it was en route to Bhupatinagar in Purba Medinipur district to probe a blast case. The NIA has now released a press statement categorically refuting the allegations terming the entire controversy as “unfortunate”. The anti-terror probe agency asserted that the attack on its team by an unruly mob was completely “unprovoked”.
Notably, the NIA team along with other security forces had visited the residence of a local TMC leader to investigate a 2022 blast case. But the officials soon came under attack from the supporters of the accused politician, who threw bricks and stones and damaged the windshield of vehicles.
However, TMC Supremo and Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee had downplayed the attack and tried to give a clean chit to attackers. She alleged that the NIA orchestrated the assault and raised questions about the timing of the raid. She further alleged that NIA officials intruded into the homes of women of Bhupatinagar village and committed atrocities on them, claiming that locals attacked the NIA team in retaliation. Following this, the West Bengal Police filed a case against NIA and CRPF officials under molestation charges which now have been categorically rejected by the NIA, through its official press release.
In its official press release, the NIA categorically denied any mala fide in its recent actions in West Bengal’s Bhoopatinagar area. It also refuted the allegations of unlawful actions leveled against it and dismissed the entire controversy as unfortunate.
NIA Categorically Refutes Allegations of Mala Fide in its Bhoopati Nagar Blast Case Actions pic.twitter.com/vCH6o5Nxo7
— NIA India (@NIA_India) April 7, 2024
In the statement, NIA made it clear that its actions were bona fide, lawful, and legally mandated, as part of its ongoing investigation into the heinous crime related to the fabrication of crude bombs. The explosion had killed three persons in Neruabila village, PS Bhoopatinagar, district Purba Medinipur in West Bengal.
Regarding the timeline and details of the case, the press release noted that the bomb blast incident had taken place in December 2022 and NIA had taken over the investigation in the case (re-registered by NIA as RC 16/2023/NIA/DLI) on 6th June 2023 on the directions of the Hon’ble Calcutta High Court, it added.
Regarding the Saturday attack on NIA and CRPF officials, NIA reiterated that its team had come under violent attack by an unruly mob when they had gone to conduct searches in Naruabila village on Saturday in connection with its probe in the said case.
The agency stated that the attack was completely unprovoked and uncalled for, and an attempt to obstruct NIA from carrying out its lawful duties. It pointed out that the searches were conducted at five locations in the presence of independent witnesses, and under the security cover provided by CRPF, which included lady constables. The arrests were made after following all lawful procedures, it added.
Further in the press release, the NIA re-stated that an aggressive crowd had assaulted the NIA personnel who were taking arrested accused Manobrata Jana to the local police station for completing legal formalities. One NIA official sustained injuries and an official vehicle of NIA was also damaged in the attack. NIA has already filed a complaint at the area police station seeking legal action against the assailants.
The NIA highlighted that on Saturday it had arrested two accused Manobrata Jana and Bailicharan Maity, for their involvement in the crude bomb explosion case. The duo had failed to appear before the agency despite repeated summons to join the investigation.
The agency had then, accordingly, filed an application before the Special NIA Court, Kolkata, which, after perusing the case records, had issued an order on 3rd April 2024, stating that it found the allegations to be of very serious nature, NIA added.
According to the press release, the special court had also observed that the agency was “at liberty to proceed with the investigation as expeditiously as possible, and to take all necessary action with regard to arrest, search, and seizure of the houses of the suspects/accused persons, in accordance with the relevant provisions of Criminal Code of Procedure, NIA Act and UA(P)A so far applicable for a proper and thorough investigation.”
Following the Special Court’s order, NIA had, on Saturday, conducted the searches, which culminated in the arrest of the two accused, who were found to be involved in the case, the press release concluded.
The said blast case pertains to an explosion that took place in Bhupatinagar on 3rd December 2022 and killed 3 people in the process. The deceased included the local booth President of TMC, Rajkumar Manna, his brother Debkumar Manna, and a man named Biswajit Gayen.
