The attack on a team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has triggered a political flashpoint between the ruling Trinamool Congress in Bengal and the BJP.
Trinamool has claimed the anti-terror agency has joined hands with the BJP to arrest the former’s leaders ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. However, the NIA has refuted the allegations, calling the attack during a raid on April 6 in Bhupatinagar area in Bengal “completely unprovoked”.
Meanwhile, Bengal Police have registered an FIR against NIA officials for alleged molestation during the raid after the wife of an arrested Trinamool Congress leader lodged a complaint against the anti-terror agency.
The NIA arrested Manobroto Jana and Bailicharan Maity in connection with the 2022 Bhupatinagar bomb blast. Jana’s wife Moni Jana lodged a complaint against the NIA alleging its officers tried to outrage her modesty after forcibly entering her house on the pretext of conducting an investigation. They also allegedly vandalised her residence during Saturday’s raid.
The NIA also lodged a complaint with local police pertaining to the attack under various sections of the IPC. However, the police are yet to arrest anyone in connection with the incident.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accused the Trinamool Congress for destroying the Constitution and trying to save corrupt leaders. “The TMC is such a party that wants to destroy our legal system and the Constitution,” he said at an election rally in Jalpaiguri.
Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, meanwhile, alleged central agencies are working at the behest of the BJP. “Agencies such as the NIA, ED and CBI…are carrying out raids without prior information, and barging into houses. What would women do if someone entered their house when everyone was asleep in the dead of night?” she asked.
Trinamool Congress’s general secretary Abhishek Banerjee alleged an “unfolding alliance” between the NIA and the BJP. The party later alleged that a senior Bengal BJP leader had met an NIA Superintendent at his flat on March 26 and handed over a list of Trinamool Congress leaders from across the state to be arrested.
In a statement on Sunday, the NIA refuted allegations of ill intentions behind the April 6 raid. It called the attack on its team “unfortunate” and “completely unprovoked”, and stated that the raids were “bona fide, lawful and legally mandated”.
The NIA statement was followed by another barb by Abhishek Banerjee wherein he asked to clarify whether BJP leader Jitendra Tiwari met an NIA Superintendent after the Model Code of Conduct for the Lok Sabha Polls was announced. He alleged that Tiwari had a “parcel” on him when he went to meet the NIA official.
BJP leader and Bengal’s Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said that Mamata Banerjee is trying to instigate hooligans against central agencies. “She is under pressure and fear about issues like unemployment, Sandeshkahli and corruption,” he said, adding that he has “full faith in NIA”.
On Abhishek Banerjee’s allegations of a senior BJP leader meeting NIA Superintendent, Suvendu Adhikari challenged the Trinamool Congress leader to publish the video footage. “The register they had shown is not associated with Jitendra Tiwari. It was not his handwriting, he is our party colleague, we know that. He (Abhishek) claimed that he had video footage. I am challenging him to publish that video footage,” Suvendu Adhikari said.
The NIA team had gone to Bhupatinagar to raid a 2022 bomb blast. They arrested two people, including the primary accused, Monobroto Jana. The team was attacked while on their way back to Kolkata. An NIA officer was injured in the attack and the agency’s vehicle was damaged as well.