The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday arrested Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and former convenor of People’s Commitee on Police Atrocities (PCAPA), Chhatradhar Mahato. The arrest came hours after 30 seats in southwestern Bengal, where the leader wields considerable influence, went to polls. Mr. Mahato is a key leader for the Trinamool Congress in the State’s Jangalmahal region.
Summons were issued by the NIA to Mr. Mahato earlier this month in connection with the murder of a Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) worker Prabir Mahato in 2009, and the alleged hijacking of passengers of the Rajdhani Express in the same year. Mr. Mahato had not responded to the summons.
Chhatradhar Mahato, who played a crucial role in the Lalgarh movement, was arrested in September 2009 by the West Bengal Police. The PCAPA had served as the frontal organisation for the Communist Party of India (Maoist) and generated public support during the Lalgarh seige, when Maoist rebels had established their hold over Lalgarh and adjoining areas.
Mr. Mahato, who was slapped with charges under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), was released from prison in February 2021, and was appointed as an office bearer of the TMC. He was crucial to party’s organisation in the Jangalmahal region. The arrest comes as a blow to West Bengal’s ruling party. Earlier this week, Mr. Mahato had told The Hindu that the NIA summons to him were “politically motivated”.
A team of NIA officials arrested Mr. Mahato from Jhargram in the early hours of Sunday. He was produced before a city court and was remanded to NIA custody till March 30. The next phase of polling in West Bengal is scheduled on April 1.
The Trinamool Congress leadership described the arrest as a “politically motivated” move by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre to hurt the ruling party in the polls. “It would have been understandable if Chhatradhar was arrested in connection with any recent crime… Summoning him just before the elections, and arresting him while elections are on, is providing the scope to raise allegations of a political conspiracy,” TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said.
West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh said that the State government had in the past arrested Mr. Mahato.
“There were UAPA cases against Chhatradhar Mahato. The State government itself had arrested him and kept him in jail. He is also accused of murder. The NIA must have found more evidence on the basis of their investigation and so have arrested him,” Mr. Ghosh said.
