SC: On what basis did NIA invoke UAPA in Beldanga violence?

New Delhi: Supreme Court on Wednesday questioned the basis on which National Investigation Agency used provisions of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) to justify its probe into the recent violence in West Bengal's Beldanga.

NIA claimed that the violence had affected the economic security of India and was thus a terrorist act under Section 15, UAPA.

A bench of CJI Surya Kant and justice Joymalya Bagchi noted that West Bengal had not yet handed over the case files for NIA to arrive at such a conclusion. "Without looking into documents, you have said Section 15 UAPA is justified. The case diary was not placed before you... This is a pre-decisional conclusion arrived at... Every emotional outburst cannot be packaged as a threat to economic security!" justice Bagchi verbally told the counsel for NIA. It observed that similar violence took place in April 2025 as well. However, despite the high court observing that NIA is at liberty to probe the matter, the agency "slept over it."


The development took place during the hearing of a plea filed by West Bengal government challenging an NIA probe.

The apex court bench opined that it was best if the Calcutta High Court itself resolved the issue, after examining what NIA has to say about the case in a report to be submitted in a sealed cover.