KOLKATA: The wife of arrested TMC leader Monobrata Jana has filed an FIR against National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials, alleging that they tried to outrage her modesty after forcibly entering her residence in Bhupatinagar under the pretext of conducting a probe, a police officer said on Sunday.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday arrested two key conspirators - Balai Charan Maity and Monobrata Jana - in a 2022 blast case in West Bengal’s East Midnapore district in which three people were killed.
Jana's wife, Moni Jana, lodged a complaint with Bhupatinagar police station alleging that NIA officers also vandalized properties in her residence during their raid on Saturday morning, he said.
Police stated, "We have registered an FIR after receiving a complaint from a woman alleging assault by NIA officers. We are looking into the complaint.”
Meanwhile, NIA denied any malafide allegations in its recent actions in the West Bengal Bhupatinagar area and dismissed the entire controversy as unfortunate.
NIA, in their press release, said that their actions were bonafide, lawful, and legally mandated as part of its ongoing investigation into the heinous crime related to the fabrication of crude bombs, leading to an explosion that killed three persons in Narubila village.
NIA reiterated that its team had come under violent attack by an unruly mob when they had gone to conduct searches in connection with its probe. The attack was completely unprovoked and uncalled for, an attempt to obstruct the NIA from carrying out its lawful duties.
The Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 354 (for assaulting any woman, with an intention to outrage her modesty) was attached to the complaint, the police officer added.
The Trinamool Congress on Sunday convened a press conference, alleging that BJP leader Jitendra Tiwari had conspired along with NIA SP Singh for what unfolded at Bhupatinagar in East Midnapore on April 6.
On Sunday, Trinamool Congress released a visitor register book picture which shows a visitor named JK Tiwari had visited the flat of an upscale housing complex on March 26 in Kolkata where SP of NIA Dhan Ram Singh resides.
On Saturday, a team of the NIA was allegedly attacked by a mob when it went to arrest two main suspects in the 2022 blast case in East Midnapore district, sparking a political slugfest with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accusing the investigators of assaulting the villagers.
\The National Investigation Agency (NIA) said one of its officers was injured and a vehicle was damaged in the attack that happened in Bhupatinagar.
Meanwhile, police are yet to arrest anyone in connection with the attack on the NIA officers who have lodged a complaint with the Bhupatinagar police station, he added.
"The matter is being investigated," he said.
The attack on the NIA team evoked memories of January 5 when a team of the Enforcement Directorate was attacked by a mob in North 24 Parganas district's Sandeshkhali during a search at the house of TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh in connection with alleged irregularities in the public distribution system.