NIA summons Trinamool MLA Sabina Yasmin in Mothabari judicial attack case
Synopsis
The NIA has summoned sitting Trinamool MLA Sabina Yasmin for questioning over the April 2026 attack on judicial officers in Mothabari, Malda — an incident in which a mob detained judges for hours and blocked a national highway. Her husband was already questioned. With 23 accused named across two chargesheets, the probe is now reaching into elected office.
Key Takeaways
NIA has summoned Sabina Yasmin , TMC MLA from Sujapur , to appear for questioning on 24 September 2026 .
The case relates to an attack on judicial officers at Mothabari, Malda in April 2026 during the SIR phase before West Bengal Assembly polls.
A violent mob detained judicial officers for several hours and attacked their vehicles; National Highway-12 was also blocked.
12 cases were registered; NIA has filed two chargesheets naming 23 accused persons .
Charges include murder attempt, illegal detention, and assault on government servants under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 .
Yasmin's husband, Mehboob Alam , was summoned by the NIA earlier in the same investigation.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has summoned Sabina Yasmin, the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) legislator from Sujapur Assembly constituency in Malda district, West Bengal, for questioning in connection with the attack on judicial officers at Mothabari during the special intensive revision (SIR) phase ahead of the state's recent Assembly elections. She has been asked to appear before investigators on 24 September.
The Mothabari Attack: What Happened
The incident occurred in April 2026 at Mothabari under Kaliachak-II block in Malda district, when judicial officers engaged in the SIR adjudication exercise at the office of the local block development officer (BDO) were detained by a violent mob for several hours. Protesters simultaneously blocked National Highway-12 and staged a demonstration. The vehicles carrying the judicial officers were attacked as they were being rescued; police ultimately managed to evacuate them.
Scale of the Case
A total of 12 cases were registered in connection with the Mothabari incident. The NIA, which took over the investigation, has already filed two chargesheets — one of 54 pages and another of 11 pages — naming 23 persons as accused. Charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 include murder attempt, assault on government servants, illegal detention, obstruction of government work, and several other serious offences.
Political Fallout and the TMC Connection
Both the then-state government and the TMC, which led West Bengal at the time, drew sharp criticism from across the political spectrum following the attack. A section within the TMC, however, sought to characterise the violence as a spontaneous reaction by residents whose names had been deleted during the SIR exercise — a claim that drew further scrutiny. The NIA's decision to summon Yasmin follows an earlier summons issued to her husband, Mehboob Alam, who was also called for questioning in the same case.
What the NIA Summons Signals
The summoning of a sitting legislator marks a significant escalation in the probe. Notably, this is not the first time the NIA has reached out to individuals connected to the Sujapur constituency over the Mothabari episode — Yasmin's husband was questioned earlier, and investigators have now turned their attention to the MLA herself. The development underscores the agency's intent to pursue accountability at a political level, not merely among ground-level participants.
What Happens Next
Sabina Yasmin is scheduled to appear before the NIA on 24 September 2026. The outcome of her questioning could shape whether additional chargesheets are filed or existing accused lists are expanded. All eyes will be on whether the TMC responds officially to the summons and how the state government, now changed after the Assembly polls, engages with the federal investigation.
Point of View
Detaining judges for hours, and attacking rescue vehicles are not the hallmarks of a spontaneous protest. With two chargesheets already filed and 23 accused named, the probe's upward trajectory toward elected representatives raises uncomfortable questions for a party navigating a post-poll reckoning in West Bengal. Whether investigators find evidence of direct instigation — or stop at establishing proximity — will determine whether this becomes a landmark accountability moment or another case that stalls in the courts.
NationPress
22 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has the NIA summoned Trinamool MLA Sabina Yasmin?
The NIA has summoned Sabina Yasmin, TMC MLA from Sujapur in Malda district, for questioning in connection with the April 2026 attack on judicial officers at Mothabari during the SIR phase before West Bengal's Assembly elections. She is required to appear before investigators on 24 September 2026.
What happened during the Mothabari attack?
In April 2026, judicial officers conducting the SIR adjudication exercise at a BDO office in Mothabari, Malda, were detained by a violent mob for several hours. Protesters blocked National Highway-12, and the vehicles of the officers were attacked before police managed to rescue them.
How far has the NIA investigation progressed?
The NIA has registered 12 cases and filed two chargesheets — one of 54 pages and one of 11 pages — naming 23 accused persons. Charges include murder attempt, illegal detention, and obstruction of government duty under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
Who else connected to Sabina Yasmin has been questioned?
Her husband, Mehboob Alam, was summoned and questioned by the NIA earlier in the same investigation. The summons to Yasmin herself marks an escalation of the probe toward elected representatives.
What was the political reaction to the Mothabari attack?
The then-state government and the ruling Trinamool Congress faced sharp criticism from across the political spectrum. A section within the TMC argued the attack was a spontaneous reaction by voters whose names had been deleted in the SIR exercise, but that framing drew widespread scepticism given the scale and organisation of the violence.
