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KOLKATA: CID, which had started a parallel investigation into the multi-crore coal scam, made its first arrest on Friday night. The state probe agency arrested businessman Randhir Singh from Andal in West Burdwan after questioning several ECL employees from Durgapur and Asansol-Raniganj coal belt through the week.
Confirming the arrest, DIC (operations) Ajoy Thakur said the complaint was filed by ECL authorities in 2020. He, however, refused to share more details saying the matter was under investigation. Sources said more arrests were likely.
Singh s arrest is being seen as important since he is considered a close aide of multi-crore coal scam prime accused Arup Majhi alias Lala, who has not responded to several CBI efforts to question him. A lookout notice has been issued against him. The enforcement directorate is also investigating the case.
A BJP worker was found dead with multiple injuries in East Burdwan’s Purbasthali on Sunday, within 24 hours of another allegedly lynched in Halisahar, North 24-Parganas.
The body of Sukhdeb Pramanik, 33, was found in a pond. The BJP linked his death with his presence at a rally on December 10 to condemn the attack on J.P. Nadda’s convoy.
BJP’s Bengal minder Kailash Vijayvargiya accused Mamata Banerjee of “trying to retain power only through violence” and said he would appeal to the Election Commission to deploy central forces now.
Trinamul dismissed the allegations.
Early on Sunday, police also arrested three Trinamul workers in connection with the murder of Halisahar’s BJP booth-committee head Saikat Bhawal on Saturday. Saikat had been lynched during a BJP outreach event near his home. Suman Saha, Sudipta Ghosh and Somnath Ganguly (a.k.a. Kelta) were arrested based on a complaint filed by Saikat’s brother Sagar with Bijpur police.