NIA calls back officer to Delhi after Trinamool alleges meeting with BJP

West Bengal's ruling party says BJP leader met with NIA officer Dhan Ram Singh at his home on March 26 and had an envelope of cash with him

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has summoned an officer to its headquarters in Delhi, days after the Trinamool Congress accused a BJP leader of visiting him at his home near Kolkata with an envelope containing cash.

According to a report in the Indian Express, the NIA has sent a senior officer from Patna to West Bengal to supervise cases after the allegation.

On April 8, in a memorandum to the Election Commission, the Trinamool said the BJP was using the NIA to harass its political opponents. Bengal’s ruling party alleged that BJP member Jitendra Tiwari met NIA Superintendent of Police Dhan Ram Singh on March 26. Along with its memorandum to the commission, the Trinamool submitted a copy of the visitor’s register at Singh’s residence with an entry showing Tiwari’s visit. Tiwari was seen entering with a packet in his hand and he was empty-handed when he left an hour later, said Trinamool.

Acvcording to sources, Singh came to NIA from the Border Security Force (BSF) on deputation in 2014. Tiwari, a former Mayor who was with the Trinamool before switching to the BJP, is a known political face in Bardhaman-Asansol.

In a press conference on April 7, Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh and state minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said Tiwari met Singh for 52 minutes and after two Trinamool workers were arrested from Bhupatinagar on April 6 in connection with a 2022 blast case. The Trinamool leaders alleged the Tiwari’s envelope had money.

Tiwari rejected the charge and demanded an apology. “If it is proved that we held any such meeting, then I will leave politics. Feeling the pressure, the TMC (Trinamool) is trying to brand the NIA raid as a political conspiracy. According to the laws of our country, they [TMC] should prove the allegations against me. Apologise if you can’t prove it, or I will file a defamation case within seven days,” Tiwari said.

“My party has already made our stand clear. The people of Asansol love Modi ji. The candidate doesn’t matter, the vote will go to the BJP only. However, whoever is the BJP candidate, my role will be vital. Maybe that’s why the TMC, out of frustration, is doing this,” referring to the Prime Minister.

BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar said, “Any citizen can meet an NIA officer at any point of time and share information about terrorist activities. I can also arrange an appointment if TMC leaders want to meet NIA officers. The BJP does not need NIA’s help to defeat the TMC. This is a baseless allegation. Anybody could have entered the housing complex and put Tiwari’s name in the logbook. Also, there are more than 200 flats in that complex. How can someone say which flat a visitor is going to?”