New Delhi: The West Bengal police filed an FIR in opposition to Nationwide Investigation Company (NIA) officers following allegations of molestation within the Bhupatinagar incident, after the spouse of an arrested TMC chief filed a grievance in opposition to them. In response, the NIA mentioned that the assault on its staff through the raid was completely unprovoked. The NIA strongly denied any malicious intent and refuted accusations of political bias after the ruling TMC accused the company of colluding with the BJP.
These developments unfold amidst heightened political tensions over the incident in Purba Medinipur district, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging at a rally in Jalpaiguri that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) is orchestrating assaults on central investigative companies to defend its allegedly corrupt leaders. ALSO READ| TMC Assaults Central Businesses When They Come To Examine Corruption Circumstances: PM Modi In Bengal
West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee has accused central companies of focusing on her celebration leaders, whereas TMC’s nationwide basic secretary Abhishek Banerjee alleged an unholy alliance between the NIA and the BJP, criticising the Election Fee for its silence on the matter.
The incident unfolded on Saturday throughout an NIA operation to arrest TMC members Manobrata Jana and Bailicharan Maity in reference to the 2022 Bhupatinagar blast, leading to an injured NIA officer and broken automobile as a result of an alleged mob assault.
NIA Officers Accused Of Assaulting Spouse Of Arrested TMC Chief
Moni Jana, spouse of Manobrata Jana, filed a grievance with the Bhupatinagar police station, alleging misconduct by NIA officers throughout a raid on her residence, prompting the registration of an FIR by the police. ALSO READ | Bengal: Spouse Of Arrested TMC Chief Alleges Assault By NIA Officers, FIR Registered
The investigation is ongoing into the allegations of assault by NIA officers, as said by a police official. “IPC Part 354 (for assaulting any girl, with an intention to outrage her modesty) was connected to the grievance”, the police officer added.
The police haven’t made any arrests but in reference to the reported assault on NIA officers, who’ve lodged a grievance with the Bhupatinagar police station. The matter is being investigated, the police official mentioned. An NIA spokesperson mentioned, “the complete controversy was unlucky and made it clear that the assault on its staff was utterly unprovoked”.
The company made it clear on Sunday that its actions had been bona fide, lawful and legally mandated, as a part of its ongoing investigation into the heinous crime associated to fabrication of crude bombs, resulting in an explosion that killed three individuals. The NIA firmly denied any malicious intent in its dealing with of the case. ALSO READ| ‘Unprovoked And Uncalled For’: NIA Refutes CM Mamata’s Declare On ‘Assault’ In Bengal’s Bhupatinagar
Moreover, the company spokesperson highlighted an identical incident on January 5, when an Enforcement Directorate (ED) staff was attacked by a mob in North 24 Parganas district’s Sandeshkhali throughout a search on the residence of TMC chief Shajahan Sheikh in reference to alleged irregularities within the public distribution system.
TMC, BJP Spar Over Bhupatinagar Assault As NIA Denies Provocation Cost
On Saturday, Banerjee had blamed the NIA personnel for the incident. “They’re finishing up raids with out prior info and barging into homes. What would the ladies do if somebody entered their home when everybody was asleep at nighttime”, she mentioned on Sunday at an election rally in Purulia district. She alleged the central investigating companies had been asking TMC leaders to both be a part of the BJP or face motion, as per PTI.
Senior TMC chief Kunal Ghosh alleged {that a} senior BJP chief from Paschim Bardhaman district, beforehand related to the TMC, met with an NIA SP on March 26 and submitted an inventory of TMC leaders to be focused for arrest forward of the Lok Sabha elections.
In response, the BJP refuted the declare, dismissing it as fabricated and asserting that the TMC is resorting to falsehoods and fictitious narratives to deflect from its personal points, together with allegations of corruption and involvement in legal actions.
The NIA reiterated that its staff encountered a violent assault by a disorderly mob whereas conducting searches in Naruabila village on Saturday as a part of its investigation.
Describing the assault as unprovoked and unwarranted, the company mentioned that, “it was an try and hinder the NIA from executing its lawful duties. The searches had been carried out at 5 areas within the presence of impartial witnesses and underneath the safety supplied by the CRPF, which included girls constables”.
“The arrests had been carried out following all authorized procedures”, added an NIA spokesperson. Moreover, the company reiterated that an aggressive crowd assaulted NIA personnel whereas they had been transporting arrested accused Manobrata Jana to the native police station for formalities. Throughout the assault, one NIA official sustained accidents and an official automobile was broken, as reported by the spokesperson.
The NIA has lodged a grievance on the native police station in search of authorized motion in opposition to the assailants concerned within the assault. The company had beforehand said that the people, regardless of repeated summons, failed to seem for questioning within the ongoing investigation.
Citing a particular court docket’s order, the NIA defended its actions within the case. The blast, which occurred in December 2022, prompted the NIA to take over the investigation on June 6, 2023, following a directive from the Calcutta Excessive Court docket.