The Supreme Court has come down heavily on the West Bengal government following the “barbaric” attack on judicial officers in Malda’s Mothabari. Labeling the incident as a total collapse of law and order, the Chief Justice’s bench has issued show-cause notices to the State DGP, Malda DM, and the SP. They have been ordered to appear via virtual hearing on April 6.

In a significant move, the Election Commission has handed over the investigation to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The NIA team is arriving in Malda today to probe why the officers were not relocated despite security concerns. Eight judicial officers were trapped inside the BDO office on Wednesday and their vehicles were later pelted with stones and blocked with bamboos by an unruly mob protesting voter list deletions.

So far, 18 people, including ISF candidate Maulana Shahjahan Ali, have been arrested and remanded to 10 days of police custody. CCTV footage is being scanned to identify more culprits. Justice Joymalya Bagchi emphasized that ensuring the safety of judicial officers on election duty is the non-negotiable responsibility of the Election Commission. The NIA is mandated to submit its preliminary findings to the Apex Court by April 6, a deadline that has put the state administration under immense pressure.