Bengal BJP leader attack case: NIA arrests absconding accused
Kolkata: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested an absconding accused on the charges of attacking the convoy of BJP leader Priyangu Pandey at Bhatpara in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.
The arrested person has been identified as Md. Amir a.k.a. Sonu, the NIA said in a statement.
“The accused had a non-bailable warrant issued against him in connection with this case,” the NIA statement read.
Earlier, in November last year, the NIA informed that as many as 12 persons were chargesheeted in the case.
The chargesheet was filed at a special court of NIA in Kolkata in November last year against 12 persons under various sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Arms Act of 1959 and the Explosives Substances Act of 1908.
According to a statement issued by NIA in November last year, investigations by the Central agency have revealed that all these 12 accused individuals were actively involved in the conspiracy related to the assault on the convoy of Priyangu Pandey.
“His driver, Ravi Verma, and a close aide Rabi Singh had received gunshot injuries in the attack,” the statement read.
The attack took place when Pandey and his team were near Gate No. 3, Anglo Indian Jute Mill staff quarters at Bhatpara while on the way to the residence of the former BJP Lok Sabha member from Barrackpore constituency in North 24 Parganas district Arjun Singh.
The miscreants attacked the convoy with explosives and firearms.
The NIA investigation has exposed a criminal conspiracy behind the attack which has been detailed in the chargesheet.
After the attack, Pandey accused the ruling Trinamool Congress activists of leading the pre-planned attack on him.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs directed transferring the case from West Bengal police to NIA expressing concerns over public safety since explosives and firearms were used during the attack.