TMC demands CBI, NIA probe into Hingalganj blast, arrest of BJP leader

Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Saturday demanded the arrest of Nimai Das, a prominent BJP leader in the Hasnabad Panchayat area in North 24-Parganas after a powerful bomb allegedly went off at the house of his relative in Hingalganj.

The incident triggered a fresh political slugfest between the BJP and the ruling party in the state. Calling the joint raid by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and National Security Guard (NSG) in Sandeshkhali on Friday a “drama”, the ruling party advocated for a probe by these two agencies into Saturday’s blast in Hingalganj.

TMC leader Kunal Ghosh alleged that the explosion tore apart the roof of the house belonging to a relative of Das, leaving several people injured. Ghosh questioned why the CBI or the NSG would not intervene and investigate the incident.

He claimed that Das was often seen with senior BJP leaders such as B L Santosh and Suvendu Adhikari during public events of the BJP. Ghosh alleged that NSG was used as part of the drama in Sandeshkhali on Friday. He also raised questions as to why the NSG and CBI would not conduct a probe into this incident.

“Today, an explosion took place at the house of the BJP leader’s relative. Why shouldn’t the CBI or the NSG step in to probe the incident,” he asked. The police said that they were investigating the matter. “In Sandeshkhali, a few firearms were recovered from a house which is not owned by any TMC leader. But the drama was enacted to give TMC and the state a bad name,” Ghosh said. The ruling party in Bengal also threw a challenge to Union Home minister Amit Shah to take action against the BJP leader Nemai Das. It was Das’ relative’s house where the blast occurred. Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee during an election rally in Asansol also spoke about the incident.

Trinamool Congress in a post on X said” While @BJP4Bengal leaders are storing bombs in their houses, the BJP-led Union govt is misusing central agencies & counter-terrorism forces to exact political vendetta. Challenging @AmitShah to take action against their 2021 Hingalganj candidate Nimai Das, whose house was stocked with explosives.”

Trinamool further stated: “The matter came to light when an explosion rocked the area today,” Trinamool said. It further questioned: “Will @NIA_India now probe Das’ links with @SuvenduWB & @blsanthosh? Or will they continue digging up dirt in Sandeshkhali? Waiting for a response, Mr. Home Minister.”

Ghosh said: “On instructions of National BJP leaders, Bengal BJP leaders are amassing arms and ammunition to unleash massive violence during polls in Bengal. We demand the immediate arrest of BJP leader Nimai Ghosh while leaders like B L Santosh and Suvendu Adhikari should also be investigated.”

“All have witnessed how the CBI along with the NSG enacted a drama at Sandeshkhali in the same Basirhat region in the name of recovery of firearms from a house located at an isolated place on Friday,” Ghosh said.

Incidentally, the TMC has filed a complaint with the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Bengal, alleging that the CBI had “deliberately carried out an unscrupulous” raid at an “empty location” in West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali during the second phase of polling in the state. In the letter to the CEO, the Trinamool Congress expressed concern over media reports suggesting that the CBI had called in additional forces, including the bomb squad of the NSG.

The TMC alleged that despite law and order being a state subject, the CBI did not issue any “actionable notice” to the state government or the police before conducting the raid. Therefore, it questioned, since no state administration officials were present during the raid as a witness, what is the proof that the explosives were found inside the empty house and instead was not planted there by the CBI/NSG?

Trinamool reiterated its demand with the EC that it should frame guidelines for the conduct of Central agencies during elections to ensure free and fair elections which is, according to the Supreme Court, an important concomitant of democracy.