Mothabari probe: NIA arrests ISF worker, 2 Cong men
Times of India | 14 April 2026
Malda: NIA arrested two Congress functionaries and one ISF worker in the agency's first arrests in the Mothabari violence case. Congress candidate Sayem Choudhury, also detained, was released after questioning.
Those arrested are INTUC functionary Sahadat Hossain, district Chhatra Parishad president Asif Sk, and ISF gram panchayat member Golam Rabbani. Choudhury, Hossain and Asif had been detained during a rally and taken to the NIA's Farakka office. NIA's preliminary findings suggest the April 1 incident was pre-planned and involved a multi-layered conspiracy.
Investigators found that Rabbani held a meeting the day before the violence, while Asif and Sahadat were present during the agitation.
On April 1, hundreds of villagers — many whose names had been deleted from the voter list — gheraoed the Kaliachak-II block office in Mothabari. Seven judicial magistrates were held for hours before police secured their release late at night, and National Highway 12 was blocked.
Twelve cases have been lodged and 49 people arrested so far. ISF's Mothabari candidate Maulana Shahjahan Ali remains in custody. Choudhury alleged a TMC-BJP nexus behind the arrests, calling the original protest a peaceful demonstration against voter deletions. TMC candidate Nazrul Islam dismissed the allegation.