Did NIA Meet With BJP Leader Carrying Package During MCC…? TMC Abhishek Banerjee Draws Link Between Bhupatinagar Arrests And ‘A Cospiracy’

“Even we can arrest the BJP leaders”, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a scathing attack at the Centre on Sunday after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested two local Trinamool Congress leaders in East Midnapore on Saturday

NIA on Saturday arrested two TMC leaders, calling them key conspirators - Balai Charan Maity and Manobrata Jana - in a 2022 blast case in West Bengal's East Medinipur district which had claimed three lives. NIA during the course of the raid and arrest had come under the attack of an irate mob, almost as a rerun of the Sandeshkhali episode of January 5, 2024, when Enforcement Directorate officials came under the attack after they went to raid the house of, now arrested, TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan.

Soon after the arrest of two TMC leaders, East Midnapore district police registered an FIR and NIA team and CRPF officials on the basis of the complaint filed by the wife of arrested accused Manobrata Jana who alleged that the officers assaulted her and her husband and also allegedly outraged her modesty. Case registered at Bhupatinagar police station under IPC sections 325, 34, 354, 354(b), 427, 448, 509. NIA has however rejected the allegations. “The attack was completely unprovoked and uncalled for, and an attempt to obstruct NIA from carrying out its lawful duties, the agency said. It pointed out that the searches were conducted at five locations in the presence of independent witnesses, and under the security cover provided by CRPF, which included lady constables.”, said NIA in their release.

But a massive face-off unfolded on Sunday as TMC released proof claiming BJP leaders hatched a conspiracy along with NIA to stoke trouble in Bhupatanigar with the arrests which comes under East Midnapore district, known as the turf of BJP leader and TMC’s betenoire Suvendu Adhikari. TMC has released a picture of a visitor register book that shows a person named J K Tiwari has visited the flat in Kolkata where NIA SP Dhan Ram Singh reportedly lives on March 26. TMC has claimed that the visitor is BJP leader Jitendra Tiwari who had visited NIA SP Dhan Ram Singh. The address of the visitor, as per the visitors' book, reportedly matches that of Tiwari’s Kolkata flat. NIA has refuted the allegations and called their actions “bonafide and lawful”. TMC National General Secretary, further countering NIA has alleged that Tiwari had visited the flat of NIA SP with a parcel in his hand and had left empty-handed. “Dear NIA, PLEASE CLARIFY if Jitendra Tiwari of BJP met with your SP, Dhan Ram Singh at his residence in Kolkata on the 26th March, while the MCC was in effect? Additionally, we have information suggesting HE ARRIVED WITH A PARCEL AND LEFT EMPTY-HANDED after 52 minutes”, wrote Abhishek Banerjee as a response to NIA on social media.

Trinamool Congress has further alleged a link between the purported meeting between Jitendra Tiwari and NIA SP Singh, and the appointment of the new DG of NIA. On March 26, Sadanand Date who was then serving as the Maharastra ATS chief, was appointed as the DG NIA by the Modi government. “ When an officer appointed by & serving under a BJP state govt in Maharashtra was suddenly appointed as DG, NIA, during the election period, did the Modi Govt take permission of the Election Commission? When the DGP of West Bengal was changed 3 times in 24 hours by ECI, how was an officer handpicked by the Maharashtra BJP Govt appointed as NIA Chief without ECI approval? How astonishing is the "co-incidence" that the BJP enters into a conspiracy with NIA in West Bengal on the SAME DAY that the new NIA Chief is appointed?, asked Saket Gokhale, TMC Rajya Sabha MP on ‘X’​