Seven judicial officers, including three women and a five-year-old child, were held captive by a mob for over nine hours without food or water in Malda district.
NIA To Probe Malda Judicial Officers’ Gherao Case. (Photo: X)
The Election Commission of India on Thursday handed over the investigation into the gherao of the seven judicial officers in West Bengal’s Malda district to the NIA. CEC Gyanesh Kumar on Thursday handed over the probe following an order by the Supreme Court. NIA team will be reaching West Bengal on Friday.
In a letter issued on April 2, ECI referred to the top court’s order and directed NIA to probe the incident that took place on Wednesday.
Seven judicial officers, including three women and a five-year-old child, were held captive by a mob for over nine hours without food or water in Malda district. The incident occurred during the SIR exercise in the Kaliachowk area.
As per the reports, they were gheraoed over the alleged deletion of names from the electoral rolls. The officers were rescued by security forces around midnight on Wednesday.
The Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance of a letter from the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court detailing the harrowing incident. The top court described the incident as a “brazen attempt not only to browbeat the judicial officers” but also “challenge to the authority of this Supreme Court”.
The court also slammed state administration for its “complete failure” and inaction over the “deplorable” gherao and attack on the officers. It asked the EC to “requisition adequate Central Forces and deploy them at all places where judicial officers are adjudicating the objections”.
Police arrested at least 22 people, including a poll candidate, for their alleged involvement in the case. Indian Secular Front (ISF) candidate Maulana Shahjahan Ali and several others were arrested and produced before a district court on Thursday.
Maldah, India, India
April 02, 2026, 22:00 IST
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