Malda Gherao: ADM gets show-cause notice for 'serious lapse in duty'

Malda's ADM (Law and Order) has been show-caused for a 'serious lapse in duty' after seven judicial officers were gheraoed. He is accused of a five-hour communication failure which compromised the administration's ability to respond.

The District Magistrate of West Bengal's Malda has issued a show-cause notice to the Additional District Magistrate (Law and Order) after seven judicial officers, including three women, were gheraoed on April 1. The showcause notice dated April 4 was served to Shaikh Ansar Ahmad over "Serious lapse in duty and failure to report ground situation to higher authority on 1st April 2026, regarding the condition of Judicial Officers at Kaliachak."

Details of the Show-Cause Notice

The notice mentions that the ADM (Law and Order)'s active communication with the Sub-Divisional Officer and the Block Development Officer established that he was "fully aware of the developments unfolding on the ground and cannot claim ignorance of the prevailing situation." He has been accused of failing to communicate the gravity of the situation to the higher authority during the critical period between 3:30 PM and 8:30 PM on April 1.

"A period of five continuous hours during which the higher administration was left without any field-level input from the designated officer, thereby severely compromising the ability of the administration to take timely preventive or remedial measures," the notice read. The District Magistrate has sought a written explanation with the reasons for "failure to communicate the gravity of the ground situation to the higher authority," steps taken by him to undertake his responsibilities of field coordination and escalation, and present other facts or circumstances on record.

Investigation and Political Fallout

A major political storm had erupted in West Bengal after seven judicial officers, including three women, were gheraoed in Malda district on April 1. A National Investigation Agency (NIA) team on April 4 visited the office of the Malda Superintendent of Police (SP) and later investigated the Block Development Officer's (BDO) office in Kaliachowk, Malda, in relation to the incident.

Both the BJP and the TMC have accused each other, sparking a political row over the incident ahead of the polling for the West Bengal Assembly elections. (ANI)

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