With the National Investigation Agency (NIA) approaching the Calcutta High Court over the alleged attack on its team at Bhupatinagar in East Midnapore district on April 6, doubts are being raised on the seriousness of the state police in handling the probe.

In the FIR filed by the state police based on the complaint lodged by the NIA following the attack, seven sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) have been invoked of which only one is related to a non-bailable offence.

Section 353 of the IPC (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharging his duty) is the only non-bailable section in the FIR that was lodged at the local police station in Bhupatinagar.

The other six sections invoked in the FIR are all related to bailable offences — Section 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), Section 186 (obstructing a public servant in discharge of public functions), Section 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), Section 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to a public servant), Section 341 (wrongful restraint), and Section 427 (mischief causing damage of Rs 50 or more).

Sources said the NIA has already taken note of the matter and sought the attention of the court in the subsequent hearings.

On Wednesday, the Calcutta High Court directed the West Bengal Police not to take any coercive action against the NIA staff based on a counter FIR registered against the agency at the Bhupatinagar police station after the attack on the agency team.

(This article has been published via a syndicated feed)