2019 Birbhum blasts: Calcutta HC orders transfer of probe from CID to NIA

“An investigation by the central agency whose powers are much wider than the state police would be more effective and enure justice,” the bench observed in its order.

Noting that the central agency has precedence in probing scheduled offences as laid down in Section 6 of the NIA Act, the bench said, “A prima facie case for transfer of investigation in favour of NIA has been made out (sic).” Among the scheduled offences which can be investigated by NIA are those under the Explosive Substances Act.

The matter will be heard again on May 10.

The CID was probing the explosions in a house at Sadaipur in August 2019 and at another house at Lokpur in September that year.

The bench noted that the NIA Act requires a state police to submit a report upon registration of an FIR with regards to scheduled offences so that the central agency may take a decision whether to investigate the case or not. “It appears that no such report was submitted by the state agency to the NIA,” the bench said.