Malda judicial officers attack case: NIA files 12 cases, teams on the ground after SC order
A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant invoked Article 142 to hand over the probe into the Malda case to NIA, even if the offences fell outside its usual jurisdiction.
Judicial officers were held hostage for hours and their vehicles attacked during rescue. (Express photo by Partha Paul)
2 min readNew DelhiApr 9, 2026 08:47 AM IST
First published on: Apr 9, 2026 at 08:47 AM IST
Three days after the Supreme Court slammed the West Bengal Government for failing to prevent the gherao of judicial officers engaged in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal’s Malda on April 1, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Wednesday registered 12 cases and dispatched five teams to probe the incidents.
Acting on the apex court’s directive, NIA re-registered seven First Information Reports (FIRs) from the Mothabari Police Station and five from the Kalichak Police Station in Malda district.
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“Multiple investigation teams have reached the spot for a thorough inquiry into the April 1 incidents, where locals allegedly gheraoed judicial officers deputed for SIR work,” a senior official said.
In a statement, an NIA spokesperson said: “In compliance with the Supreme Court order in Suo Moto WP (C) No. 3/2026 dated April 8 – received today – relating to the safety of judicial officers during SIR in Malda and related law-and-order incidents, the NIA has re-registered the FIRs. Investigation teams have moved to Malda.”
On Monday, a bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, invoked Article 142 to hand over the probe to NIA, even if the offences fell outside its usual jurisdiction.
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The bench pulled up West Bengal Chief Secretary Dushyant Nariala and Director General of Police Siddh Nath Gupta for the law-and-order breakdown, where officers were held hostage for hours and their vehicles attacked during rescue. The bench directed Nairala to apologise to the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court.
Judicial officers were held hostage for hours and their vehicles attacked during rescue. (Express photo by Partha Paul) 
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