Kolkata, 11 February (HS): On Friday morning, controversial Trinamool leader Uttam Sardar of Sandeshkhali was suspended from the party for six years and by night the news of his arrest came. According to sources, the police of Sandeshkhali police station arrested Uttam Sardar on Saturday.

After the arrest of Sardar, the opposition has started raising questions whether he was under police protection for so many days? The arrest happened because Trinamool suspended him in the morning? The question is also being raised as to why Sheikh Shahjahan and Shibu Hazra are still out of the reach of the police.

It is learnt that Sardar is a member of the Zilla Parishad. Two complaints have been registered against him in Sandeshkhali police station.

From the TMC''s Dharnamanch located at Red Road, State Minister Partha Bhowmik said on Saturday that Trinamool''s All India General Secretary MP Abhishek Banerjee had constituted an investigation committee regarding the Sandeshkhali case on the instructions of Mamata Banerjee.

Three ministers and the Chairman of the Zilla Parishad have been placed in this committee which included North 24 Parganas Zilla Parishad Chairman MLA Narayan Goswami, Minister Bratya Bose, Minister Sujit Bose and Minister Rathin Ghosh. Partha said that the committee members were asked to talk to the people and submit the report.

The committee''s report reached the party on Saturday. After that the party decided to suspend Uttam Sardar. Allegations were leveled against him regarding irregularities in Sandeshkhali. Another person named Vikas Singh was also accused. Both were arrested on Saturday.

Hindusthan Samachar/ Priyanka /Manoj