The Calcutta High Court on Friday directed the central government to hand over to NIA the investigation into the death of a BJP activist in violence before the 2023 panchayat elections in West Bengal.

Deceased Bijay Krishna Mohanty's son Prasenjit in a petition sought handing over of investigation from the state police to the NIA, stating that his BJP activist father died after being attacked by ruling Trinamul Congress supporters in East Midnapore district's Moyna area with bombs and other weapons.

The state had sent a report on the incident to the central government since the incident of violence involved alleged bursting of bombs, which is a scheduled offence under the NIA Act.

Justice Jay Sengupta directed the central government to hand over the investigation into the death of Bhuniya to the NIA within 15 days.

He also directed the Union government to file a report of compliance with its order in the form of an affidavit by April 25, when the matter will come up for hearing again.

NIA's counsel Arun Kumar Mohanty said that it was a scheduled offence under the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act as bombs were allegedly exploded during the violence.

On a prayer by Mohanty, the court had on March 6 granted time for three weeks to the central government to decide whether the NIA was going to take up the investigation of the case.

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