The Supreme Court criticized the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police of West Bengal for their handling of the Malda incident. Judicial officers involved in the ongoing SIR adjudication process were allegedly held hostage for nine hours, prompting the Chief Justice of India to intervene. The Chief Justice expressed disappointment over the state bureaucracy’s lack of cooperation, questioning why the Chief Secretary did not respond to his calls. The Chief Secretary claimed he was in Delhi for a meeting and had not received any calls from Kolkata, but the court was unconvinced.
Justice Bagchi suggested that sharing mobile numbers would have been beneficial for communication. The court directed both officials to issue a written apology to the Chief Justice of the High Court for the failure of the civilian administration and police authorities. Despite efforts to contact the Chief Secretary during the incident, there was no response, leading to the hostage situation of seven judicial officers. The court highlighted the chaos in the state bureaucracy and criticized the delayed response to the incident.
The Chief Justice emphasized the seriousness of the situation, noting the delayed notification and the need for his intervention to prevent a worse outcome. The court also criticized the police response on the ground, citing instances where officials did not take action. While refraining from immediate punitive measures, the court stated that it would await a report from the Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court before deciding on further actions.
The Supreme Court instructed the Chief Secretary, DGP, and state administration to fully cooperate with the Chief Justice until the SIR process and tribunal work are completed. The court was informed that two individuals were arrested for instigating threats against judicial officers and would be handed over to the NIA for interrogation. Investigating agencies were directed to identify those responsible for instigating the incident, emphasizing the need for a thorough investigation to bring the matter to a resolution.