A man was arrested from Port Blair in connection with the murder of Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Sanjeev Das, also known as Potla, in Baguiati on the northern fringes of Kolkata, police said on May 18. Sanjeev Das was killed in a clash between two factions of the TMC on April 27.
Arrest and Investigation Details
- Suspect Arrested:
- Kapil Deb, a businessman, was arrested from a lodge in Aberdeen Bazaar, Port Blair, in a joint operation by the South Andaman Police and the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate on May 16.
- South Andaman’s SP Niharika Bhatt told PTI, “The West Bengal Police shared information about the accused, and we immediately began a search. Meanwhile, a team of officers from West Bengal also arrived at Port Blair, and in a joint operation, we managed to arrest Kapil Deb from a hotel in Aberdeen Bazaar.”
- Post-Crime Actions:
- Investigations revealed that Kapil, after committing the crime along with others, fled to Port Blair on a plane.
- He was taken to West Bengal on a transit remand. Kapil is the owner of hotels in New Town and its adjoining areas.
Incident Overview
- Clash Leading to Murder:
- On the night of April 27, a confrontation took place in Arjunpur West Para in the Baguiati police station area, escalating into brick-batting by both sides. Sanjeev Das was severely injured and taken to a hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.
- Legal Background and Family Allegations:
- Das was an accused in 11 cases, including those related to the Arms Act.
- His family alleged that TMC workers owing allegiance to the local councillor were behind the murder.
- Arrests Made:
- Including Kapil, 18 people have been arrested in connection with the case. All the arrests were made based on the complaint lodged by the deceased’s daughter, Payel Das.
