The police arrested Sardar on Wednesday from Kultali, where he had allegedly been sheltered by local CPM leader Mannan Khan. Khan has also been arrested.

Palash Chandra Dhali, Police Superintendent, Baruipur, said, “We have seven complaints of fraud against Saddam and his aides. There is a group of seven-eight people who are involved in such activities. Mannan Khan was also involved in this activity. He took shelter in an alaghar (fisheries monitoring house) of Mannan Khan for two days. On the basis on a tip-off, we conducted a search and arrested him with Mannan.”

Dhali also said the police were searching for Saddam’s younger brother Sairul.

On Monday, the police arrested Sardar for allegedly defrauding a man from Nadia district out of Rs 12 lakh with a fake gold idol. A mob, however, attacked the police team and took Sardar away. The mob allegedly fired a few rounds to scare off the police. At least three police personnel sustained minor injuries in the mob attack.

The police arrested two women—Saddam’s wife Masuda and Sairul’s wife Rabia—in connection with the mob attack.

Later in the evening, while searching Sardar’s home, the police stumbled upon what they think is an escape tunnel used by Saddam.