Kolkata (IANS) | West Bengal Police on Wednesday arrested a person in connection with the April 1 murder of coal baron and BJP leader Raju Jha in East Burdwan district of the state. The arrested person has been identified as Avijit Mandal, a resident of Panagarh in West Burdwan district. It is learned that he is the driver of another coal baron, Narayan Khagra, who was once close to Raju Jha.
Jha was shot dead near a sweet shop at Shaktigarh on NH-19. His colleague Brotin Bandopadhyay, who was traveling with him in the SUV, was injured in the attack. Meanwhile, two other persons, who are employees of Narayan’s office in Dugarpur city centre, have also been detained for questioning.
Avijit Mondal was produced in the court on Wednesday, after which he was sent to judicial custody for 14 days. East Burdwan district Superintendent of Police Kamanshish Sen said the police would question Mandal about his involvement in the case.
Jha reportedly had a criminal record. In July 2011, months after the Trinamool Congress came to power in West Bengal, police arrested Raju Jha in Raniganj, but he was out on bail. Since then, he has been arrested several times.
He was also questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the agency’s probe into the multi-crore coal smuggling scam in the state.
–IANS
