Mumbai Man Arrested For 'Recce' Outside TMC Leader Abhishek Banerjee's Premises, Accused Linked To 26/11: Bengal Police

West Bengal Police arrested a Mumbai resident for allegedly surveilling TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee's offices and residence. The accused is said to be linked to the 26/11 attacks.

File Photo of Trinamool Congress (TMC) General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee

Source : PTI

West Bengal's Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP), Murlidhar Sharma, revealed that a person from Mumbai had been surveilling the offices and residence of Trinamool Congress (TMC) General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee. Identified as Raja Ram Rege, the individual attempted to contact Banerjee after acquiring his contact details. This comes the day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee voiced concerns for her and her nephew's safety.

"We have been receiving some intelligence inputs after which we were keeping an eye. We came to know that a person had come here from Mumbai and had been trying to recce outside his (TMC General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee) offices & residence. They somehow managed to get his number and tried to contact him. The accused Raja Ram Rege, a resident of Mumbai,' the cop told news agency ANI.

#WATCH | West Bengal: Additional CP Murlidhar Sharma says, "We have been receiving some intelligence inputs after which we were keeping an eye. We came to know that a person had come here from Mumbai and had been trying to recce outside his (TMC General Secretary Abhishek… pic.twitter.com/6RAAHMyeW4

— ANI (@ANI) April 22, 2024

Upon investigation, it was discovered that Rege had connections to the 26/11 terror attacks and had previously interacted with David Headley, a conspirator in the Mumbai attacks, the police officer said. "In further investigation, we found out that he is the same person who played a role in the 26/11 terror attacks and had contact with David Headley (conspirator of bomb targets in the Mumbai attacks). Even then he tried to contact politicians from a political party. We further found out similar activities were done in the Mumbai case. We have registered a case based on a complaint. He has been arrested from Mumbai today," stated Sharma.

Kolkata Police received logistical assistance from Mumbai Police in this case. News agency PTI reported a Mumbai Police official as stating, "Local police provided the required logistical support to the police team." 

According to a Kolkata Police officer, Rajaram Rege was detained by the Special Task Force and the detective department for his suspected involvement in reconnaissance activities targeting Abhishek Banerjee's premises, PTI reported.

Rajaram Rege now faces charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including criminal conspiracy and criminal intimidation.

Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee Raises Safety Concerns For Herself And Nephew Abhishek Banerjee 

Slamming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday said, "The BJP is targeting me and Abhishek, we are not safe, but we are also not afraid of the saffron party's conspiracy".

During an election rally in Kumarganj, Balurghat Lok Sabha seat, Banerjee accused the BJP of importing troublemakers into the state and urged vigilance against conspiracies targeting TMC leaders and the people of West Bengal, news agency PTI reported.

Her remarks were in response to the Leader of Opposition in the assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, who said that there would be a "big explosion on Monday which will shake the TMC and its top brass".

Banerjee dismissed threats of an impending "big explosion" as contemptible. "There is a traitor who joined the BJP to protect his family and ill-gotten wealth. Let me tell him, his threat to trigger a chocolate bomb explosion is treated with contempt by us," she further retorted.

"We will counter him by bursting firecrackers. For us firecrackers are unravelling discrepancies in PM Care Fund and 'jumla' of crediting Rs 15 lakh in every citizen's bank account. He only peddles falsehood," she added.