In a significant development regarding the investigation into the Beldanga communal unrest in Murshidabad, the Supreme Court of India on Wednesday pulled up the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for its handling of the case. A bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi questioned the agency’s rationale behind invoking Section 15 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) without thoroughly scrutinizing the case diary.

The West Bengal government had approached the apex court challenging the NIA’s takeover of the probe. While the Supreme Court declined to stay the NIA investigation entirely, it expressed grave concerns over the application of terror charges. The bench remarked, “How can you justify Section 15 without even having the case diary prepared? Every emotional protest or local outburst cannot be termed as an attempt to cause economic damage to the country.”

The court also highlighted past incidents, noting that following similar violence in April 2025, the NIA had remained dormant despite instructions from the High Court’s division bench to look into the matter. The apex court has now directed the NIA to submit a detailed report justifying the necessity of UAPA charges. It further empowered the Calcutta High Court to review the agency’s findings and decide whether the stringent sections are applicable in this specific context. This ruling serves as a stern reminder to central agencies to ensure legal rigor before applying anti-terror laws in local law-and-order situations.