Hamim Mondal’s cell tower located near chief minister Suvendu Adhikari’s Chinar Park home
Times of India | 5 August 2026
Kolkata: Alleged JeM-Shazad Bhatti operative Hamim Mondal, arrested last week, was present in the Chinar Park area near chief minister Suvendu Adhikari’s residence as well as on the routes the CM took, revealed an examination of his cellphone tower locations by security agencies. He, however, was not caught in any CCTV footage in the zone.
Adhikari’s commute routes were among other VIPs’ routes in Kolkata, which Hamim reportedly surveyed.
“Hamim was introduced to this job about three months ago. He claimed to police he was extremely careful as his handlers told him not to get recorded on CCTV cameras or get photographed. He was careful and chose his spots on the CM’s route rather than be seen close to CM’s residence,” an investigator said. Agencies have reviewed the security measures around Adhikari and his residence and carried out necessary changes.
The state police’s special task force (STF) arrested Hamim last week in Burdwan. His girlfriend Arpita Sarkar and an associate, college-goer Aditya Singh, have also been arrested. Hamim, claimed sources, was caught before he could complete any of the espionage jobs assigned to him by his handlers as security agencies started an investigation of the terror operative’s parallel effort to honeytrap a state minister’s son about one-and-a-half months ago.
According to police, Hamim had initially tried to take photos outside Adhikari’s home. “Even though investigators had evidence against him, Hamim initially denied carrying out recce of VIPs. Later, under interrogation, he confessed to have repeatedly conducted surveillance around the chief minister’s Chinar Park home. He also said he was to mark the routes and send them to his handlers,” said an officer.
Minister of state for urban development and municipal affairs Umesh Rai, who was also Hamim’s target, claimed the terror outfit member had demanded Rs 5 crore from him and was aware of his family’s details.
Investigation agencies, which suspect that the Shahzad Bhatti group had planned murder and sabotage to cause unrest in Bengal, are investigating the source of funds for the outfit, communication channels and possible cross-border links. Digital evidence recovered from mobiles and online chats was being analysed, said an officer.
Investigators said residents of Pilkhana and Tikiapara had seen Hamim with Arpita in public over the past four months and even their aide, Aditya Singh, was seen with them in Tikiapara. People known to Singh’s family alleged a gaming addict, Singh met Hamim on a gaming app.
Pilkhana resident and Trinamool member Md Akhtaruzzaman said, “I once saw Hamim on GT Road in front of Alam Mistry Lane, talking with a young woman. It wasn’t just me, but others, too, saw them in the morning and at times, in the evening. I once asked Hamim’s father about it but he brushed it aside.”