Nimtita blast: NIA takes over probe from CID; TMC allege political motive behind move

Kolkata: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken up the Nimtita case to probe into the incident of bomb attack on Jakir Hossain, the minister of state for Labour.

Taking up the case from the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has led to a fresh controversy as Trinamool Congress (TMC) alleges of a political motive behind the move.

TMC MP Saugata Roy said: "CID and other state agencies were proceeding well in the case and they have already arrested two persons in this connection. Though NIA is an expert to probe explosion related cases, I feel there are some sort of politics behind taking over the probe from the state CID."

The Union Home ministry has taken suo motu cognizance of the incident and ordered a NIA investigation on Tuesday. After receiving information in this regard, the NIA authority in Kolkata has registered a case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including attempt to murder (307 IPC), voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means (326 IPC) and criminal conspiracy (120B IPC) along with sections of the Explosive

Substances Act.

Sources informed that the NIA has already requested the CID to hand over the "case documents".

It may be recalled that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had ordered a probe by the CID into the incident after accusing BJP without naming the party of attempting to murder Hossian in a "planned manner' by hurling bombs as he turned down the proposal of joining the saffron brigade. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by Additional Director General (ADG) of CID Anuj Sharma was

also formed.

TMC leadership has raised the question that why the case has been taken up by the NIA when the state's investigating agency was probing into the incident so seriously.

Two persons—Abu Samad and Sahidul Islam alias Chemical Sahidul—were arrested till date in this connection.

Confessing his guilt Sahidul told officers during interrogation that he had chalked out the plan to kill Hossain for protesting against his anti-social activities and he himself prepared the bombs used in the attack. Sahidul was earlier arrested for an explosion in his house in 2011. The investigating officers are yet to establish any terror link with Sahidul.