NIA Approaches Calcutta High Court Over State Police's FIR Against Officers Who Were Attacked While Probing 2022 Bhupatinagar Blasts

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has approached the Calcutta High Court over recent attacks against its officers in West Bengal's Bhupatinagar. It is stated by the agency, that the officers were attacked during the course of their duty when they had picked up two local leaders for questioning in connection with the case. 

NIA further stated that the State Police had registered FIRs for 'molestation' against the agency's officers who were attacked at the behest of the family members of the accused.

The case is to be heard by a single bench of Justice Jay Sengupta. 

The central agency has been investigating a 2022 case involving blasts which occurred in Bhupatinagar, East Midnapore.

It is alleged that when the probe agency's officers had visited the area to probe the incident, their vehicle was attacked by local residents when they had picked up and were transporting the two accused, who were also influential local leaders. It is stated that the attack led to damage to the NIA's vehicle, as well as injury to an officer.

According to reports, the NIA had filed a report with the jurisdictional police station regarding the attack on its vehicle, but no action had been taken. Instead, the local police is said to have registered a complaint alleging molestation from the accused's family members against the agency's officers, and started probing the same. 

Local reports state that the attacks were precipitated when the NIA picked up two Trinamool Congress leaders Manobrata Jana and Balaicharan Maiti in connection with the blasts.