Judicial Officers Held Hostage: NIA Steps In Following Supreme Court Order

The NIA has registered 12 cases to investigate the detention of judicial officers in Malda, West Bengal, as ordered by the Supreme Court. The officers were held by a mob during an electoral roll revision. The SC criticized the state administration for its handling of the incident.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken charge of 12 cases concerning the blockade of judicial officers in West Bengal's Malda district. This action follows a Supreme Court directive issued after a group of officers tasked with revising electoral rolls faced mob detention.

An apex court bench, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, invoked Article 142 of the Constitution to transfer case oversight to the NIA. The court highlighted the state administration's failure and expressed concern over political interference within bureaucratic operations.

Amid the ongoing Special Intensive Revision process, judicial officers experienced a harrowing nine-hour ordeal, encapsulating broader issues regarding the protection and authority of legal officers in politically sensitive situations. The state police have been instructed to cooperate fully with NIA investigations.

(With inputs from agencies.)