Supreme Court orders probe into Malda judicial officers' captivity
The Supreme Court has ordered a probe after seven judicial officers (including three women) were held captive by villagers in West Bengal's Malda district on April 2.
The officers were stuck from the afternoon until midnight while on SIR adjudication duties and were only freed after the Calcutta High Court Chief Justice's intervention and the state administration's intervention.
Now, either the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or the National Investigation Agency (NIA) will investigate what happened.
Election Commission to requisition central forces
To prevent this from happening again, the Supreme Court directed the Election Commission to requisition adequate central forces at locations where SIR adjudication work was underway.
State officials have also been put on notice and must explain the lapses by April 6.
Chief Justice Surya Kant voiced concern about how politics is making it harder for courts to do their job safely, stressing that protecting judges is non-negotiable.