Saokat sent to NIA custody for 14 days, protesters throw eggs, fish at ex-MLA

Kolkata: Former Trinamool MLA Saokat Molla was remanded in NIA custody for 14 days on Saturday, a day after he was arrested from Kamalgazi in connection with a pre-poll blast case in Bhangar that claimed one life.Molla was produced before city sessions court chief judge Sudipta Kumar De amid tight security after being taken from the NIA headquarters in New Town. During transit, Molla faced protests at multiple locations, with demonstrators raising "thief" slogans and hurling eggs, fish and water bottles at the police convoy escorting him.Seeking custody, NIA counsel Shyamal Ghosh told the court that Molla was the alleged mastermind behind the explosion in South Bamunia village of Chaltaberia on March 19. The agency also alleged that Molla played a role in the disappearance of bodies in multiple cases of political violence in the region.Appearing for Molla, defence counsel Suman Das sought bail. "NIA has seized several mobile phones and arrested multiple persons. Molla lives far from the blast site and has no connection with the incident. Molla used to get Z-plus security and was always surrounded by cops. How is it possible that he was involved?" he said.Ghosh said three arrested accused had claimed that Molla was the mastermind. Seeking custody to unravel the larger conspiracy behind the incident, he submitted that the case diary was submitted and all relevant phone calls were examined. The NIA had earlier declared Molla an absconder, he added.A large crowd gathered outside the NIA headquarters before Molla was taken to court. Protesters arrived carrying crates of eggs and fish, while some played the viral "maach chor (fish thief)" song on loudspeakers. As Molla was moved out of the building, eggs and fish were thrown at the convoy.Before being taken to court, Molla was brought to Bidhannagar Sub-Divisional Hospital for a mandatory medical examination, where slogans were also raised.On the way to Bankshall Court, police seated Molla in the middle row of an SUV and covered the vehicle's windows with newspapers. After reaching the court premises around 2.30 pm, he was swiftly escorted inside by central forces as protesters threw plastic bottles and eggs.One person claimed outside court that Molla had forced many people to flee their homes and said it was "satisfying" to see him run for cover. Another protester from Canning alleged that Molla and his associates assaulted him and his family after the 2021 assembly elections, forcing him to stay away from his village for over a year.Jubilant scenes were witnessed across Bhangar and parts of Canning East as well, with residents distributing sweets and celebrating what many described as the end of a prolonged period of fear and intimidation. Kashi Morol, a local resident, alleged that Molla and his associates forcibly took over land, encroached on a canal and used political influence to seize cattle and poultry from villagers.On Saturday, a district administration team visited a café allegedly constructed by Molla's son on the banks of the Matla river. A notice from the SDO's office directed the parties concerned to appear with relevant documents on June 18.