The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday conducted searches at premises linked to former Trinamool Congress MLA Saokat Molla, including his residence in Jibantala in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district.
Saokat was not at home at the time, and only his son, Imran, was present, NIA sources said.
According to the sources, the searches are being held in connection with the investigation into a bomb blast in the Dakshin Bamunia area of Bhangar, just days before the Assembly elections in the state. The NIA had earlier arrested TMC leader Wahidul Islam in connection with the case.
NIA officials also conducted raids at the TMC party office that Saokat used to sit in, the residences of his relatives, and a restaurant owned by his son.
According to NIA sources, Saokat was in Kolkata on Wednesday, where he met a few party members. Locals reported seeing him in Jibantala on Wednesday, and NIA sources said call location data placed him in the area.
Upon learning about the search operation, Saokat’s wife and daughter-in-law arrived at their residence. They claimed that no notice had been served and said they had no information about Saokat’s whereabouts. Sources added that both were being interrogated, and that the agency conducted combing operations in search of Saokat Molla.
Meanwhile, later on Thursday, the NIA arrested one Sainur Molla for allegedly transporting the bombmakers.
In a statement released late Thursday, the NIA said: “With the arrest of Sainur Molla, the driver of the Scorpio car used to transport the bomb makers who were killed and injured in the explosion, the total arrests in the case have gone up to three. The explosion had taken place while crude bombs were being manufactured by the accused and their aides ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections.”
The statement further said , “A total of eight locations, including the residence and suspected hideouts of former MLA and absconder Saokat Molla – a prime suspect and conspirator in the case – were searched as part of today’s operations. Premises linked with other accused and suspects in the case were also subjected to extensive searches. The searches led to the recovery and seizure of several incriminating materials, documents, electronic devices and digital evidence, which have been sent for forensic examination.”
The NIA claims that their investigations have revealed that, after the blast, Sainur Molla allegedly drove the Scorpio vehicle used to transport the one person killed in the explosion as well as the injured others. He had allegedly driven the deceased and the injured first to a local hospital and then to another location before handing them over to an ambulance. The ambulance driver, already arrested in the case, is currently in judicial custody.
Meanwhile, efforts were on to trace and arrest the absconders, including accused Saokat Molla.
In March, a crude bomb exploded in Dakshin Bamunia village, killing one person and injuring three others. The Indian Secular Front demanded an NIA probe into the incident. Subsequently, the central agency took charge of the investigation.
In April, the NIA arrested Ahidul Islam Molla of Bijoyganj Bazar in South 24 Parganas district. According to the agency, Ahidul was a co-conspirator and was involved in the preparation of bombs and the destruction of evidence. The bombs exploded while being assembled, killing one of the accused.