21 formally charged for hand in Bardwan blast

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday formally charged in a special court 21 people, including four Bangladeshi nationals, for their involvement in the Burdwan blast.

Militant outfit Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) is suspected to be involved in the blast.

The charge sheet was filed before a National Investigation Agency (NIA) special court in Kolkata.

"Twentyone accused, including four Bangladeshi nationals, have been charged for offences relating to terrorist act, conspiracy, recruitment, funding and running terrorist training camps, possession of arms and explosives, offences of forgery, offences relating to foreigners act and passport act," an NIA officer told IANS.

The blast took place in a house in Khagragarh in Burdwan district on October 2, killing two JMB militants and injuring another.

Probing the blast, the NIA has so far arrested 18 people from various parts of the country as well as Dhaka in Bangladesh.

The agency has claimed its investigation showed that the JMB had established its network in many districts - particularly in Murshidabad, Nadia, Malda, Birbhum and Burdwan in Bengal, Barpeta in Assam, and Sahibganj and Pakur in Jharkhand.

As many as 15 people suspected to be involved in the case are missing and on the run.

The NIA took over the probe a few days after the explosion.