Malda judicial officers’ harassment case: Main accused, linked wth AIMIM, held at airport; NIA steps in

Mofakkarul Islam, identified as the main accused in the harassment of judicial officers in West Bengal’s Malda district, was arrested on Friday at Bagdogra airport while allegedly trying to leave the state.

Islam, a practising advocate with links to All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, had been on the run since a warrant was issued against him following directions from the Supreme Court of India. Police said he had also switched off his phone and was untraceable since Thursday.

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The arrest comes as central agencies move in to investigate the case, which has drawn national attention after judicial officers were held hostage for hours by an agitated crowd in Kaliachak.

Islam, originally from North Dinajpur, practises in both the Raiganj District Court and the Calcutta High Court. He had joined AIMIM before the 2021 Assembly elections and contested from Itahar, though he lost the seat and forfeited his deposit.

Police said he was seen addressing the mob on Wednesday night and allegedly making provocative statements. His arrest takes the total number of people held in the case so far to 19.

NIA team to begin probe, to question officers and accused

A team of the National Investigation Agency is expected to reach Kaliachak later on Friday to begin its investigation, which has been assigned by the Election Commission of India.

Sources said the team will first interact with the affected judicial officers to understand the sequence of events. They may also question those already arrested, including Maulana Shahjahan Ali, who is among the accused.

The decision to involve a central agency followed directions from the Supreme Court, which asked the Election Commission to choose between the NIA and the CBI. The Commission later directed the NIA to take over the probe and submit a preliminary report by April 6.

What happened in Kaliachak

The incident took place on Wednesday night when seven judicial officers, including three women, were confined inside a block office in Kaliachak by a group of voters. The protest was linked to the deletion of names during voter list scrutiny under the “logical discrepancy” category.

The officers were surrounded for several hours before a large police team reached the spot in the early hours of Thursday. The crowd was dispersed and the officials were taken to safety after being held for nearly nine hours.

There were also reports that the convoy carrying the rescued officers came under threat, with some attempting to target it as they were being moved to safety.

In the aftermath, authorities have moved to clamp down on public gatherings across the state. Officials said no meetings or protests will be allowed without prior permission, warning of strict action in sensitive areas.