The National Investigation Agency on Friday night arrested the main suspect in the Bhangar blast case, former Trinamool Congress MLA Shaukat Mollah. Shaukat was caught from South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, hours after he was declared ‘absconding’. On March 19, one person was killed in a crude bomb explosion in South Bamuniya village of South 24 Parganas district. Three more were seriously injured here. Bombs were being made here.
According to the officer, we have arrested Shaukat Mollah as part of the ongoing investigation in the Bhangar bomb blast case. He will be produced in the court today and further legal action will be taken. With the arrest of the TMC leader, the total number of people arrested in the case has reached four.
Daughter said-surrendered before us
The officer said that Mollah, former MLA of Canning Purba, was taken to the NIA office for questioning after his arrest. The biker with whom the accused was sitting behind on the bike was also detained. However, Mollah’s family members claim that he was detained from Chingrighata area of Kolkata and he surrendered before the agency officials.
Mollah’s daughter told journalists that her father was not at home. He had gone out for some personal work. He surrendered before the authorities. We (family members and my father) were in a hotel near Chingrighata, not anywhere near Kamalgaji. The arrest came a day after the central agency conducted a massive search operation at Mollah’s house and several other places linked to him in South 24 Parganas district. As part of the investigation, NIA teams had raided several places in Maukhali, Baruipur and Sonarpur on Thursday.
Driver arrested
The arrest came a day after the central agency conducted massive searches at Mollah’s house and several adjoining places in South 24 Parganas district. As part of the investigation, NIA teams had raided several places in Maukhali, Baruipur and Sonarpur on Thursday. On Thursday, the NIA arrested the driver of the vehicle which was used to transport the bomb makers. Mollah had won elections in 2016 and 2021, his security was recently removed by the state government. He represented Canning East assembly constituency. According to officials, NIA had earlier sent summons to Mollah through his family members. His son was also interrogated during the investigation.
Leave a Reply