Arrested Jaish suspect surveyed area near CM Suvendu Adhikari’s residence: Official

The accused, Hamim Mondal, was arrested by the STF from Purba Bardaman last week

NEW DELHI: A suspected Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) operative, arrested last week for allegedly tracking the movements of West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, had also surveyed the area where the chief minister’s official residence is located in Kolkata, a police officer said on Tuesday.The survey of the area was carried out as part of a “larger conspiracy” orchestrated by the Pakistan-based handlers of the accused, Hamim Mondal.The disclosures emerged during the interrogation of Mondal, who was arrested by the Special Task Force (STF) from Purba Bardhaman last week, and his alleged associates, Arpita Sarkar, and Aditya Sinha.”During the initial phase of interrogation, the accused denied visiting the locality. However, technical evidence, including mobile tower location analysis, conclusively established his presence there. When confronted with the evidence, he admitted to carrying out reconnaissance,” the officer, a senior STF official, told PTI.Investigators are also probing whether Mondal and his associates conducted a survey of the state secretariat, Nabanna, to identify possible vulnerabilities in the chief minister’s security arrangements. “We are scrutinising CCTV footage and other technical evidence to verify their movements around Nabanna. Every lead is being thoroughly examined, and no possibility is being ruled out at this stage,” the officer added.The STF suspects Mondal had explored the possibility of renting accommodation near Adhikari’s residence to facilitate prolonged surveillance, though it is yet to establish whether he had actually rented any premises.The agency alleged that Mondal maintained direct links with Pakistan’s spy agency, the ISI, and a network operated by Pakistan-based gangster Shahzad Bhatti.The STF also alleged that Sarkar was assigned the role of a “honeytrap” operative to cultivate contacts with influential politicians and senior bureaucrats and gather confidential information.

Investigators suspect the alleged module was planning a major act of sabotage aimed at triggering political instability in the state, with Adhikari believed to be one of its principal targets.Following the revelations, security around the chief minister has been significantly strengthened, a senior bureaucrat at Nabanna said.The STF is also probing whether any other network linked to Bhatti or other Pakistan-backed operatives is active in West Bengal, and whether local facilitators or sleeper cells provided logistical support to the alleged conspiracy.”We are investigating the role of every individual connected to the module and examining whether any sleeper cells or local facilitators were involved,” the STF officer said.