Malda gherao case: 'Mastermind' AIMIM leader arrested; NIA begins probe
Mofakkarul Islam, the mastermind was arrested while attempting to flee the state; On April 1, 7 judicial officers overseeing SIR process were held hostage
The West Bengal Police on Friday (April 3) arrested two persons, including the alleged mastermind of the nine-hour gherao of seven judicial officers in Malda district, from Siliguri's Bagdogra airport, a senior officer said.
The alleged mastermind, Mofakkarul Islam, a member of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and a lawyer by profession, was arrested while attempting to board a flight to flee the state, senior officials said. The other person who was taken into custody was the Indian Secular Front’s Mothabari candidate, Moulana Shahjahan Ali.
Police had on Thursday arrested 18 accused in connection with the case on charges of violence, arson, and an eight-hour gherao of seven judicial officers. All the accused have been remanded to 10-day police custody.
Police custody
Speaking to reporters, ADG (North Bengal) K Jayaraman said Mofakkarul Islam hails from Itahar in Uttar Dinajpur district and was currently residing in Kolkata.
Also read: West Bengal SIR: 47 lakh objections disposed, SC sets April 7 deadline
“We began tracking Mofakkarul Islam after the incident and, with the help of the West Bengal Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Siliguri Police, nabbed him and his associate at Bagdogra airport. Three cases have been lodged against him for instigating locals in three different places,” he said, adding that a total of 19 cases have been registered in connection with the Kaliachak incident.
On Wednesday (April 1), seven judicial officers overseeing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process for poll-bound West Bengal were held hostage for more than nine hours before being rescued after midnight. The hostage situation followed a large protest that erupted outside the Kaliachak II Block Development Office (BDO).
NIA probe
The National Investigation Agency has registered a preliminary enquiry into the Malda violence following a directive from the Election Commission of India.
Also read: SC slams West Bengal over gherao of judicial officers in Malda; Mamata blames BJP
The Commission wrote to the anti-terror agency after the Supreme Court, in an order on Thursday (April 2), directed that a central agency — either the CBI or the NIA — probe the incident. The apex court observed that the attack was a “deliberate and calculated” attempt to demoralise judicial officers and obstruct them from discharging their duties.
What happened on April 1?
The SIR exercise by the Election Commission in West Bengal has emerged as a major flashpoint ahead of the Assembly polls, with the final voters’ list showing over 63 lakh deletions and another 60 lakh voters placed “under adjudication".
Judicial officers were tasked with reviewing these cases, in line with Supreme Court directions, to determine whether the voters should be retained or removed from the rolls.
Tensions escalated on Wednesday when protesters, after being denied a meeting with the officers, gheraoed the BDO office around 4 pm, effectively holding seven judicial officers — including three women — hostage. A five-year-old child of one of the officers was also present inside the office at the time.
During the evacuation, protesters hurled stones at the police van. Visuals circulating on social media showed shattered car windows and protesters chasing police vehicles as the officers were escorted to safety.