- By Abhishek Sheoran
- Tue, 09 Apr 2024 02:23 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday directed the Union Home Ministry to send 100 additional companies of the Central forces in West Bengal to conduct free and fair election. As per the EC, 55 companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and 45 companies of the Border Security Forces (BSF) to ensure law and order during Lok Sabha polls voting in Bengal. Officials have been asked to complete the exercise by April 15 or earlier. This came days after a team of National Investigation Agency (NIA) was attacked by some miscreants in East Midnapore’s Bhupatinagar. The probe agency was conducting raids in relation with a 2002 bomb blast case.
NIA Moves Kolkata High Court:
The NIA has reached the Kolkata High Court to quash FIRs registered against the agency by the Bengal Police. The agency said the HC had allowed them to file a petition in this regard. The matter is likely to be heard today.
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The plea also seeks protection from any coercive action by the state police against the NIA officials.
The Bengal Police got multiple FIRs registered against the NIA after several villagers complained of molestation and theft by the probe agency officials during their raids in relation with the2002 bomb blast case.
Attack On NIA Team:
On Saturday morning, a team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) was attacked in Bhupatinagar, East Midnapore district of West Bengal. NIA officers had arrived there to investigate a blast case from 2022 at the residence of a leader of the Trinamool Congress. Suddenly, a violent mob started pelting stones at their car, damaging the windshield. One officer was also injured in this incident.
A team of National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials was attacked by villagers in the Bhupatinagar area of West Bengal's Purba Medinipur district on Saturday.
NIA Kolkata SP Called to Delhi:
After an alleged meeting between DR Singh, SP, National Investigation Agency (NIA), Kolkata, and a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jitendra Tiwari, the former has been called to Delhi, News 18 reported. However, senior officials of the probe agency, cited by the news outlet, said it was a ‘routine’ visit, and he was not recalled. An official statement hasn’t yet been issued.
TMC Leaders Meet Election Commission Officials:
The TMC has again raised the issue of misuse of the Central agencies in Bengal. A delegation of Trinamool Congress leaders, including Derek O'Brien, Dola Sen, Saugata Roy, and Sagarika Ghose, met with the Election Commission to discuss their demands related to this case.
TMC leaders outside ED office. Pic credit- X/@sagarikaghose
The delegation demanded the chiefs of the NIA, CBI, ED and the IT be changed. The TMC has time an again said the central agencies were troubling the Opposition leaders at the behest of the ruling government.