NIA asked to probe ’09 Rajdhani hijack
nNEWDELHI: Ahead of West Bengal assembly elections next year, the ministry of home affairs (MHA) has asked the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to investigate the 11-year-old case of the hijacking of the Bhubaneswar-delhi Rajdhani Express train by PCAPA (Peoples Committee Against Police Atrocities), people familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity.
PCAPA is an alleged overground outfit of Maoists and they were demanding the release of their jailed leader Chhatradhar Mahato. The hijacking happened in Jhargram.
Interestingly, the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) earlier this year indicated that it would like Mahato to work for the party in West Midnapore, where he wields considerable influence among tribals. The Bharatiya Janata Party has made inroads in the region and won the Jhargram Lok Sabha seat last year. The West Bengal government released Mahato on February 1 after his life term was commuted to 10 years.
TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee said in February that he would be glad if Mahato joins the party. The BJP’S state unit chief Dilip Ghosh claimed after TMC’S statement that Banerjee was inducting Maoists to revive its dwindling fortunes. The parties are engaged in a bitter political battle in the state. The BJP won 18 of the state’s 42 Lok Sabha seats last year, up from the two it won in 2014. Assembly elections are scheduled early next year.
The people cited in the first instance said MHA handed over the probe to NIA in April citing three main grounds – it involves a proscribed outfit; the FIR registered by state police in Jhargam on October 28, 2009 includes sections 121 and 121A of Indian Penal Code (pertaining to waging war against India) which fall in category of scheduled offence; and that case merits probe under UAPA Section 15C as it deals with kidnapping/hijacking of persons to threaten sovereignty of India.
The NIA has registered a case under various sections of IPC as well as railways act and a fullfledged investigation has begun, an officer said. It is also looking to invoke UAPA (unlawful activities prevention act) although the original FIR doesn’t mention the terror angle, officials added. This also means that West Bengal government and police’s consent need not been taken to go ahead with the NIA probe.
Mahato was arrested on September 26, 2009 by the state CID from Jhargram for an alleged attempt on the life of former chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee in West Midnapore district on November 2, 2008.
Subsequently, around 500 activists of PCAPA, guided by 25 armed Maoists, hijacked the Rajdhani on October 27, 2009, demanding Mahato’s release. The train was under their control for five hours before CRPF and state police commandoes arrived and forced the hijackers to flee.
Raju Banerjee, Vice President of Bengal BJP, said – “Mahato is being brought in by TMC as the Adivasi votes have shifted to the BJP.” The TMC refused to comment on the development. Mahato also could not be reached.