The West Bengal Police Special Task Force (STF) has arrested sitting All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Dilip Mandal from Puri following several allegations of his absence for some weeks in a case related to threats and intimidation of political enemies.
Police sources have said Dilip Mandal had been on the run; he kept moving from place to place to evade police. The arrest of his son Arghya Mandal earlier this month has come just shortly after his own arrest.
Arghya Mandal, along with five others, was arrested on May 18 during a raid in Bakkhali-Fraserganj, in the South 24 Parganas. In the course of the operation, police allegedly discovered two handguns and six cell phones from the accused. According to investigators, Arghya Mandal was causing threats and intimidation to workers of the BJP in the district.
Earlier, on May 14, police teams had broken into two alleged hideouts, leaving behind the MLA who reportedly had gone on the run before the police raid. Later, officials tracked his mobile phone and finally contacted officials of the STF at a hotel in Puri, where he was arrested.
The TMC legislator has been brought back to West Bengal in transit remand, police officials said. He is likely to have to answer a myriad of questions about allegations connected with political violence, intimidation, and an alleged illegal arms network.
The arrest of a ruling party MLA has stoked the political tension in West Bengal, where allegations of post-poll violence and political brawls are still a subject of concern. Now, investigators are looking to see if the suspect had broader links with the local crime or political circles in the region.
A further investigation of the case continues.