Abhishek Banerjee accuses BJP-NIA collaboration after arrests in blast case
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Kolkata: Tensions have escalated between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP following the National Investigation Agency's (NIA) arrest of two Trinamool leaders in connection with a 2022 blast case.
The Trinamool has alleged a collaboration between the BJP and the NIA, prompting a strong rebuttal from the BJP challenging the ruling party to substantiate its claims.
The NIA apprehended two individuals, Balai Charan Maity and Manobrata Jana, in Bhupatinagar, Purba Medinipur district, in relation to a blast that claimed three lives in 2022. During the arrests, the NIA team faced resistance from locals, resulting in minor injuries to a team member and damage to a vehicle, as stated by the NIA.
"Manobrata Jana, and the other arrested accused, identified as Balai Charan Marty, were found to have conspired to manufacture and explode crude bombs to spread terror," the NIA disclosed in a statement.
Initially investigated by the Bengal Police, the case was later taken over by the NIA following a directive from the Calcutta High Court.
Trinamool's general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee, criticized the BJP over the arrests, alleging collusion between the BJP and the NIA. "Experience the unfolding alliance between the @NIA_India and @BJP4Bengal, orchestrating conspiracies against Trinamool leaders and the Model Code of Conduct," Banerjee said.
Echoing Banerjee's sentiment, Trinamool leader Kunal Ghosh accused BJP leader Jitendra Tiwary of providing a list of Trinamool leaders to the NIA ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. In response, Ghosh challenged Tiwary to refute the allegations or face evidence against him.
Tiwari dismissed the accusations as baseless and threatened to pursue legal action against Ghosh if evidence is not provided. Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya dismissed Trinamool's claims as a sign of desperation to divert attention from governance issues.
In a separate development, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the NIA team of assaulting villagers during the arrests, which led to injuries. Bengal Police have filed a molestation case against the NIA team based on a complaint by the arrested individuals' family members.