The CBI Friday arrested Amit Das, an absconding accused in the high-profile post-poll killing of Avijit Sarkar, a case linked to violence that followed the 2021 West Bengal assembly elections. The agency said Das will be produced before the trial court later today and that its investigation remains ongoing.

The CBI took over the probe on August 25, 2021, after the Calcutta High Court ordered a central inquiry into alleged post-poll violence across the state.

Following its takeover, the agency filed a chargesheet on September 30, 2021, against 20 persons and later submitted a supplementary chargesheet on June 30, 2025, naming a further 18 accused. CBI officials said the arrest of the absconding suspect followed “concerted efforts” based on source information and technical inputs; they did not disclose the location of the arrest.

Sarkar’s family has alleged a brutal assault, saying he was first strangled and then struck on the head with a heavy object. His brother, Biswajit, has maintained that local political leaders had threatened the family during the elections; those allegations form part of the material under examination by investigators as the CBI builds its case.

The original complaint in the matter was lodged at Narkeldanga police station on May 2, 2021, naming unidentified persons.

Earlier reports said Sarkar, described in media accounts as a BJP worker, was attacked with sticks and his household goods damaged before he was rushed to hospital, where he later died.

A court framed charges against the initial 20 accused two years after the killing; those charges included murder, disappearance of evidence and criminal conspiracy.

The CBI’s chargesheet names several people in connection with the case.

Alongside Amit Das, the accused include Sanjay Samanta, Samir Samanta, Sankar Das (alias Buno), Arun Dey, Rahul Dey, Sourav Dey, Sukhdeb Poddar, Arup Das, Biswajit Das, Sanjay Barik, Tumpa Das (alias Kali), Gopal Das, Papiya Barik, Sanjay Basak, Sufal Bose, Sanjay Dey (alias Suvo), Abhijit Dey and Kajal Das.

The CBI said it will continue its investigation and take further action as required by evidence and court directions.