The Supreme Court directed the National Investigation Agency to finish its probe within two months into the April 1 Malda violence, where a mob trapped seven judicial officers for nine hours. The Court stressed urgency and accountability today.
The Supreme Court instructed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to complete its probe within two months into the April 1 violence in West Bengal’s Malda district, during which a mob confined seven judicial officers for nine hours.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi directed the NIA to file its report with the appropriate court after finishing the investigation.
The bench asked,
“What is the position of investigation? Is it complete?”
Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for the NIA, stated that he would submit a detailed status report.
The court said it is inclined to allow the NIA to conclude the investigation at the earliest preferably within two months and added,
“We are, however, of the view that let the NIA complete the investigation at the earliest, preferably within a period of two months…,”
The bench further observed that the NIA should proceed with filing its charge sheet and that the legal process should follow its course, it observed,
“You file your charge sheet. The law will take its own course,”
Earlier, On April 24, the top court allowed the NIA to submit its charge sheet following completion of the investigation in the case.
In the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, around 700 judicial officers from West Bengal, Odisha, and Jharkhand were deployed to address more than 60 lakh objections from persons excluded from the voter list.
The Supreme Court had taken suo motu cognisance of a letter from the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court describing the harrowing events of April 1 night, when seven judicial officers including three women and a five-year-old child were held captive by a mob for over nine hours without food or water.
After the matter was taken up, the NIA assumed charge of the investigation on the complaint of the Election Commission, following instructions from the Supreme Court.
Earlier, on April 13, the bench made it clear that the security provided to judicial officers involved in the SIR process in West Bengal would remain in place until the conclusion of the assembly election and could not be withdrawn without prior permission from the top court.
It also asked whether the NIA detainees involved in the April 1 gherao had any political connections.
The CJI had said,
“This has to be taken to a logical conclusion.”