New Delhi, April 7 -- The Supreme Court on Monday directed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to take over the investigation in the alleged blockade (gherao) of judicial officers deployed in the Election Commission's (ECI) special intensive revision (SIR) of voter roll exercise in West Bengal's Malda district.

A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi examined a status report filed by the National Investigation Agency. It noted that three FIRs have been registered over incidents directly involving judicial officers and nine pertain to blockades in other areas. A total of 24 people have been arrested, including identified troublemakers and history-sheeters.

Keeping in view that there are serious ...