Centre finds Bengal Police investigation report unsatisfactory
In a major embarrassment to the Trinamool Congress-led West Bengal Government, the Centre has decided to hand over the Burdwan blast case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The Home Ministry took this decision amid allegations that the West Bengal Police was involved in a major cover up exercise to save the political patrons of the terror outfit involved in running the bomb factory at the residence of a local TMC leader.
According to sources, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs received a report from the State police on Thursday evening on the blast case and the investigation into it so far. “The Ministry found the report unsatisfactory after which Home Minister Rajnath Singh directed the NIA to probe the blast and its links to terror elements,” sources said.
The Home Ministry is expected to issue a notification on the handing over of the probe to the NIA on Friday.
“The blast occurred in the house of a TMC leader where jehadi elements were found making bombs and grenades. The State police might not be able to probe independently due to political influences. The report submitted by the State police was totally unsatisfactory. That is why the MHA has decided to entrust the probe to the NIA,” the sources said.
Earlier, pressing for a NIA probe, the BJP and CPI(M) had all along blamed the ruling TMC for derailing the investigation to save its local leadership. As per the NIA Act, the probe agency is empowered to take over any investigation related to terrorism.
Two terrorists belonging to the Bangladesh-based outfit Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen were found dead in the blast at a TMC leader’s home in Burdwan on October 2. The house was rented out to jehadi elements who were running a burkha manufacturing unit as a front to throw people off the scent. Explosive materials, Al Qaeda literature and SIM cards were recovered from the house.