'BJP and NIA conspired againt the party': Abhishek Banerjee

The arrest of two Trinamool Congress leaders by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in a 2022 blast case has sparked a heated exchange between the Mamata Banerjee-led party and the BJP. While the Trinamool has alleged an "alliance" between the BJP and the NIA, the main opposition in Bengal has dared the ruling party to prove its allegations.

The NIA on Saturday arrested two people in Purba Medinipur district's Bhupatinagar in connection with a blast in 2022 that killed three people. The central agency team faced stiff resistance from a crowd when they arrested Balai Charan Maity and Manobrata Jana after searches at five locations, the NIA said. An NIA team member suffered minor injuries in the face-off and a vehicle was damaged, the agency added

Manobrata Jana, and the other arrested accused, identified as Balai Charan Marty, were found to have conspired to manufacture and explode crude bombs to spread terror," the NIA statement said.The matter was earlier investigated by Bengal Police before the NIA took over the probe last year following an order by the Calcutta High Court

Trinamool general secretary Abhishek Banerjee took to X today to hit out at the BJP over the arrests. "Experience the unfolding alliance between the @NIA_India and @BJP4Bengal, orchestrating conspiracies against Trinamool leaders and the Model Code of Conduct. While this collusion persists, the ECI stands by, conspicuously silent, neglecting its duty to ensure fair play," Mr Banerjee said.