Supreme Court Transfers Malda Judicial Attack Cases to NIA: What You Need to Know

In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court has transferred cases involving the gherao and attack on judicial officers in Malda to the National Investigation Agency. The court expressed concerns over the declining credibility of West Bengal's bureaucracy and criticized the Chief Secretary for failing to respond to calls during the incident. This decision comes as part of a broader effort to address political interference in judicial matters. With 700 officers deployed to handle voter list objections, the court's actions aim to ensure accountability and transparency in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision process.

By Narendra Chaudhary Apr 6, 2026, 20:06 IST

Supreme Court Takes Action on Malda Incident

New Delhi: On Monday, the Supreme Court utilized its plenary authority to transfer cases concerning the gherao and assault on seven judicial officers involved in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in Malda district to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi expressed concerns that the integrity of the West Bengal bureaucracy is diminishing, with political influences infiltrating government offices.

The court mandated that the NIA interrogate 26 individuals detained by state police in relation to the Malda incident, regardless of their judicial custody status.

The Supreme Court criticized West Bengal Chief Secretary Dushyant Nariala for failing to answer calls from the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court on April 1, the day the judicial officers were gheraoed.

The bench instructed the chief secretary to extend an apology to the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court, highlighting this as a significant failure of the district administration.

The court noted that the gherao incident, where judicial officers were held for several hours, appeared to be premeditated and driven by ulterior motives.

In total, 700 judicial officers from West Bengal, Odisha, and Jharkhand were assigned to the ongoing SIR process to address over 6 million objections from individuals excluded from the voter lists.