NIA court rejects bail pleas of 52 accused in Bengal's Mothabari SIR incident
Synopsis
An NIA court has denied bail to all 52 accused in the Mothabari case, where election officials were allegedly held hostage inside a West Bengal block office during voter verification work. With 12 linked cases under active probe and the NIA pushing to file its final report, the case has already reached the Supreme Court — making it one of the most politically sensitive election-integrity matters in recent Bengal history.
Key Takeaways
An NIA court rejected bail pleas of all 52 accused in the Mothabari, Malda election-official harassment case on Thursday, 1 May 2025 .
All accused, including Mofakkerul Islam , have been remanded to judicial custody until 13 May 2025 .
On 3 April 2025 , seven SIR officials were allegedly confined inside the Kaliachak-II block office until midnight by an agitated crowd.
The Supreme Court directed the Election Commission of India to hand over the probe to the NIA .
The NIA alleged that West Bengal Police delayed providing investigation documents despite court orders.
NIA counsel Shyamal Ghosh confirmed 12 cases are being heard and the agency aims to file its final report at the earliest.
A National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Kolkata on Thursday, 1 May 2025, rejected the bail applications of all 52 accused linked to the alleged besieging and harassment of election officials during Special Intensive Revision (SIR) work in Mothabari, Malda district, West Bengal. The court ordered all 52, including prime accused Mofakkerul Islam, to be remanded to judicial custody until 13 May 2025.
What Happened in Mothabari
On 3 April 2025, an agitated crowd allegedly confined seven officials assigned to SIR duties inside the Kaliachak-II block office until midnight. The officials, appointed by the Calcutta High Court, were responsible for verifying voter documents on the pending list under the SIR process. It has been alleged that individuals whose names were excluded from the electoral rolls surrounded and intimidated the officials. The incident subsequently escalated to the Supreme Court.
How the NIA Got Involved
Acting on directions from the Supreme Court, the Election Commission of India (ECI) transferred the investigation to the NIA. However, before the central agency assumed charge, Mofakkerul Islam had already been arrested by the West Bengal Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the intelligence wing of the state police. The remaining accused were identified through examination of video footage of the incident and were arrested in subsequent phases — some by the state police and others by the NIA.
Delays and Friction in the Probe
The NIA's investigation faced considerable delays. The central agency alleged that despite court orders, the West Bengal Police did not provide relevant investigation documents in a timely manner. There were also significant delays in the formal transfer of the case and the custody of the accused. The handover was eventually completed only after fresh judicial intervention.
Court's Order and What the NIA Said
On Thursday, the accused moved bail applications, which the NIA strongly opposed. The court rejected all the pleas and ordered judicial custody across all 12 cases connected to the Mothabari incident. NIA counsel Shyamal Ghosh told mediapersons:
Point of View
And that the subsequent investigation had to be wrested from state police through Supreme Court intervention, speaks to a deeper friction between central oversight and state compliance in West Bengal. The NIA's allegation that relevant documents were withheld despite court orders is particularly serious and deserves scrutiny beyond the bail hearings. If the final charge sheet does not produce convictions, the deterrent effect on future intimidation of election officials will be negligible.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Mothabari incident in West Bengal?
The Mothabari incident refers to the alleged confinement and intimidation of seven election officials conducting Special Intensive Revision (SIR) voter verification work inside the Kaliachak-II block office in Malda district on 3 April 2025. An agitated crowd allegedly kept them hostage until midnight, prompting the matter to reach the Supreme Court.
Why did the NIA take over the Mothabari case?
The Supreme Court directed the Election Commission of India to transfer the investigation to the NIA after the incident came before the apex court. The central agency took over from the West Bengal Police and CID, though the transfer was delayed due to alleged non-cooperation by state authorities.
Who is Mofakkerul Islam in the Mothabari case?
Mofakkerul Islam is among the prime accused in the Mothabari incident. He was initially arrested by the West Bengal CID before the NIA assumed charge of the investigation. He was among the 52 accused whose bail pleas were rejected by the NIA court on Thursday.
What happens next in the Mothabari NIA case?
All 52 accused will remain in judicial custody until 13 May 2025. The NIA has indicated it is working to file the final charge sheet at the earliest across all 12 related cases. The next hearing is expected around 13 May 2025.
What is Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the context of elections?
Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is an Election Commission of India process for reviewing and updating electoral rolls, including verifying documents of voters whose names are under consideration. In Mothabari, officials appointed by the Calcutta High Court were conducting this process when the alleged harassment occurred.
