NEW DELHI: In the backdrop of the Supreme Court's directives, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday handed over the case involving protests in West Bengal's Malda district, where judicial officers involved in Special Intensive Revision (SIR) work were reportedly held hostage, to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
In a letter to the Director General of the NIA, the ECI said, "I am directed to request that the necessary inquiry/investigation into the matter be conducted and a preliminary inquiry report be submitted to the Hon'ble court as per directions."
A team of NIA sleuths is expected to visit West Bengal on Friday, a senior official in the ECI said.
Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court took a serious note of protests in West Bengal's Malda, where agitators blocked the National Highway and gheraoed judicial officers involved in the verification of documents during the SIR. Several of the protesters were voters whose names were deleted from the electoral rolls after the SIR.
The top court, taking Suo motu cognisance, directed the Election Commission of India to entrust the enquiry into the incident to either the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
"We direct ECI to entrust the enquiry /Investigation into yesterday's incident to either the CBI or NIA. The compliance report shall be submitted to this court. The agency shall be obligated to submit a preliminary enquiry report directly to this court," Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said during a hearing on SIR in West Bengal, according to Bar and Bench.
Terming the incident a brazen and deliberate attempt to obstruct the administration of justice, a bench led by CJI Surya Kant noted with concern that despite prior intimation, the State authorities failed to act promptly, leaving judicial officers without protection, food or water for hours.
The Court has issued show-cause notices to senior State officials, including the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary and Director General of Police, for their inaction.