Supreme Court Transfers Malda Gherao Case to NIA Amid Rising Bureaucratic Tensions

The Supreme Court has transferred cases involving the gherao and attack on judicial officers in Malda to the NIA. The court criticized the West Bengal administration, highlighting a pre-planned attack on officials involved in voter list revisions. Questions were raised over bureaucratic failures in responding to the incident.

The Supreme Court on Monday transferred the investigation of the attack and gherao of judicial officers in Malda district to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), citing significant concerns over state administration efficacy and systemic integrity.

A bench including Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi highlighted issues within West Bengal bureaucracy, criticizing the mixing of politics with administrative roles. The court stressed that the incident was pre-planned and motivated.

The court's order mandates that 26 individuals arrested in connection to the event undergo NIA interrogation. West Bengal's Chief Secretary faced criticism for not communicating with the Calcutta High Court's Chief Justice during the April 1 incident, indicating administrative shortcomings.

(With inputs from agencies.)