The West Bengal Police on Friday arrested two persons, including the mastermind of the gherao of seven judicial officers in Malda district, from Siliguri’s Bagdogra airport. The alleged mastermind, identified as advocate Mofakkarul Islam, was arrested while he was trying to board a flight. Speaking to reporters, ADG (North Bengal) K Jayaraman said Mofakkarul Islam hails from Itahar in Uttar Dinajpur district and was currently residing in Kolkata. Three cases have been registered against him at Kaliachak police station for allegedly “instigating” locals through speeches on Wednesday, following which the seven judicial officers were gheraoed inside the Kaliachak-2 block office under Mothabari assembly constituency, he said. The police officer said that despite the National Investigation Agency (NIA) taking over the probe, the West Bengal Police would continue with their investigation to determine whether the incident was “pre-planned” and whether more people were involved. With the latest apprehension, the police have so far arrested 35 people, including an ISF candidate, for their alleged involvement in the incident, he added. The Supreme Court has described the Malda incident as a brazen and deliberate attempt to obstruct the administration of justice.
Malda, West Bengal: On the Malda case, ADG K. Jayaraman says, "We are doing the investigation, but he has been arrested in other cases. In the Mothabari case, we did not do anything immediately. In the Kaliachak case, we arrested him. We arrested him in all the cases..." pic.twitter.com/srGk441EQl
— IANS (@ians_india) April 3, 2026
Earlier, the Election Commission of India on Thursday handed over the probe into the gherao of the seven judicial officers in West Bengal's Malda district to the NIA, following a Supreme Court directive.Observing that West Bengal was the "most polarised state", the Supreme Court delivered a stinging indictment of the state administration after seven judicial officers engaged in SIR exercise were held hostage by protesters in Malda district and directed a CBI or NIA probe into the incident. In an April 2 letter to the National Investigating Agency, the poll body referred to the apex court's order and directed it to probe the Wednesday incident.
Newsinc24 Team





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