In a major development days before the repoll in the Falta Assembly constituency, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Saidul Khan, vice-president of the Falta Panchayat Samiti and a close aide of TMC candidate Jahangir Khan, was arrested by Falta police on Saturday.
The arrest followed a late-night raid at his residence on Friday. Police sources said Saidul Khan faces multiple pending cases, including charges of attempted murder and spreading political violence in the region. He has a history of complaints related to political clashes, officials added.
As per reports, since Jahangir Khan became the Trinamool Congress candidate in the Falta assembly, Saidul had been continuously threatening BJP leaders and activists. It is alleged that he assaulted some BJP workers and also attempted to murder them. He is also accused of attempting to create an atmosphere of terror in the area.
BJP candidate for that seat, Debangshu Panda, alleged that Saidul is accused of committing various atrocities on the residents of the area, including throwing stones, assaults, and threats. He caused various disturbances in the area on the day of the election, and now he wants to create an atmosphere of terror in the area again before the re-election, Panda alleged.
Jahangir has denied all the allegations, and he claimed that Saidul has been framed in a false case.
Along with Khan, another Trinamool Congress leader, Uttam Das, the elder brother of Trinamool MLA Pareshram Das and local Trinamool Congress leader in Canning, has also been arrested. He also faces similar charges of political violence.
The development comes amid heightened political tension in the Diamond Harbour region of South 24 Parganas district, where the Election Commission has ordered a fresh poll in the entire Falta Assembly constituency on May 21. Results are scheduled to be declared on May 24. The repoll was necessitated after the EC cancelled the votes cast on April 29 during the second phase of the Assembly elections, citing serious irregularities, including allegations of booth capturing and intimidation.
In a related development on Friday, an FIR was lodged against Jahangir Khan and eight others in connection with the alleged murder of a six-year-old girl in 2017. The complainant claimed the attack on the family was because of their BJP affiliation. Khan has rejected the charges.
Central forces, including CRPF and RAF personnel, have already been deployed in the sensitive area to maintain law and order ahead of the repoll.
