Kolkata, 15 November (H.S.) : Abdul Karim Khan, a Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader known to be a close confidant of the party's Birbhum heavyweight Anubrata Mondal, has been arrested by the police in connection with a post-poll violence case. Khan, who previously served as the public works 'karmadhyaksha' of the Birbhum Zilla Parishad, was initially detained by the Nanoor police on Saturday night while he was exiting the TMC party office in Bolpur. Following a brief interrogation at the police station, he was officially placed under arrest. On Sunday, the TMC leader was produced before the Bolpur Sub-divisional Court, which remanded him to three days of police custody for further questioning. Reports indicate that despite facing numerous severe allegations over the years, Khan had evaded police action for a prolonged period, allegedly due to his significant political clout in the region.

According to police sources, Khan is accused of orchestrating political terror across the Birbhum district and currently has a total of 32 cases registered against him, encompassing various criminal activities and instances of political violence. Authorities stated that his latest arrest specifically pertains to a case of violence that erupted following the 2021 West Bengal assembly elections. The charges against him include orchestrating massive vandalism in the area, spreading widespread panic, and carrying out targeted attacks on the residences of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers.

Beyond the allegations of post-poll violence, Abdul Karim Khan has frequently faced accusations of establishing an absolute monopoly in the Nanoor area and forcibly grabbing land from locals through intimidation. However, Khan has consistently dismissed these allegations, claiming that the complainants had voluntarily registered their properties in his name and asserting that he possesses all the valid legal documents to prove his stance. Furthermore, the TMC leader had previously come under the radar of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the infamous cross-border cattle smuggling case. Although he faced questioning by the central probe agency at the time, Khan maintained that the CBI had merely requested certain necessary documents and had not subjected him to a rigorous interrogation. Currently, the local police are thoroughly questioning him on remand to uncover further details regarding his involvement in the 2021 post-poll violence.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh