Calcutta HC directs Centre to take decision on probe into Bengal blasts

Kolkata, Aug 30: Holding that explosions at Basanti and Malda in West Bengal earlier this year are offences falling under the NIA Act, the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed the Centre to take a decision on probe into these blasts based on a report by the state government.

Explosions took place at Malda on April 22 and Basanti on March 28, with one person having died in the latter and leaving several others injured in the first. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Justice R Bharadwaj said the offences in both cases fall under the Explosive Substances Act.

The use of explosive substances falls under scheduled offences which can be probed by National Investigating Agency. Three petitions were filed by two persons, seeking direction to the state government to hand over the cases to NIA for investigation.

The court directed the inspectors in-charge of the police stations under the jurisdiction of which the incidents occurred to hand over a report to the state government within three days.

It also instructed the state government to send that report to the Centre within another three days. The court directed the central government to take a decision on probe into the two incidents based on the report.