NIA searches Saokat Molla’s home and party office, son questioned in Bhangar blast case

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday conducted searches at the residence of former Trinamool Congress MLA Saokat Molla in the Jibantala area of Canning in South 24 Parganas. NIA officials arrived at the premises early in the morning and began search operations at the residence as part of an ongoing investigation into the South Bamunia bomb blast case in Bhangar.

According to information available from investigators, Saokat Molla was not present at the residence when the search operation began. NIA officials questioned his son, Imran Molla, who was present at the premises along with Molla’s wife and daughter. Investigators also carried out searches at the party office located adjacent to the residence.

The agency additionally visited a café owned by Imran Molla in Moukhali as part of the operation. Searches were conducted at multiple locations linked to the family while investigators gathered information related to the case under examination.

The searches are linked to the South Bamunia bomb blast in Bhangar that occurred shortly before the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election. The incident resulted in the death of one person and left several others injured. The investigation was later transferred to the NIA following demands by the Indian Secular Front for a central probe into the matter.

The NIA has previously arrested several individuals in connection with the blast investigation, including Trinamool Congress leader Wahidul Islam. The agency has now extended its inquiry to premises associated with Saokat Molla. Molla represented Canning Purba in the Assembly after winning the 2016 and 2021 elections and later contested the 2026 Assembly election from Bhangar, where he was defeated by Indian Secular Front leader Nawsad Siddique.