Bengal: Wife Of Arrested TMC Leader Alleges Assault By NIA Officers, FIR Registered
Arrested TMC leader's wife Moni Jana lodged her complaint with Bhupatinagar police station alleging that NIA officers vandalised properties in her residence during their raid on Saturday morning.
The wife of Monobrata Jana, a Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader recently arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), filed a First Information Report (FIR) against NIA officials, alleging assault and misconduct during a raid on their residence in Bengal's Bhupatinagar, news agency PTI reported citing a police officer on Sunday (April 7).
Earlier on Saturday, the NIA arrested two key suspects, Balai Charan Maity and Manobrata Jana, in connection with a 2022 blast case in West Bengal's Purba Medinipur district. According to reports, the blast had resulted in the death of three persons.
As per the PTI report, Moni Jana, the wife of Manobrata Jana, accused NIA officers of attempting to outrage her modesty and damaging property during the raid. The action prompted her to complain to the Bhupatinagar police station.
Confirming the development, a police officer told PTI that they have registered an FIR and are investigating the allegations.
The complaint includes charges under IPC Section 354, about assault with intent to outrage modesty, the report said.
"An NIA team had reached Bhupatinagar police station and we (police) fully cooperated with them. Earlier, another NIA team had come and there were reports of some argument with them. During the incident, a vehicle was vandalized before the police arrived and one person was also reported to be injured. FIR has been registered and an investigation is going on. Efforts for arrest are underway," SP Soumyadeep Bhattacharya, East Medinipur, was quoted as saying by ANI.
#WATCH | East Medinipur, West Bengal: SP Soumyadeep Bhattacharya says, "An NIA team had reached Bhupatinagar police station and we (police) fully cooperated with them. Earlier, another NIA team had come and there were reports of some argument with them. During the incident, a… pic.twitter.com/8uev7QIXJt
— ANI (@ANI) April 7, 2024
READ | Attack On NIA Team: 2-Member TMC Delegation To Visit Bengal's Bhupatinagar Day After Clash
The incident sparked controversy when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised the NIA for allegedly assaulting villagers during the operation. However, the NIA reported that one of its officers sustained injuries and a vehicle was damaged in an attack by a mob in the region.
Notably, no arrests have been made in connection with the assault on NIA officers at present. The authorities are conducting an inquiry into the matter. Click here to read the full report.
It is to be noted that the Saturday incident bears resemblance to a previous attack on a team from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on January 5. The ED team was assaulted during a search at the residence of TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh in North 24 Parganas district.