Kolkata, June 5 (IANS) National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday arrested former Trinamool Congress legislator Saokat Molla in connection with the bomb blast at Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.

While attempting to flee to neighbouring Bangladesh through the coastal borders in South 24 Parganas district on Thursday, Saokat was spotted and chased by local villagers at the border-adjacent Chunakhali area. He managed to escape at that point.

Earlier in the day, some close associates of Saokat were produced at the lower court in Kolkata. At the same time, state and central forces blocked all routes leading to the coastal border in the South 24 Parganas district.

The NIA sleuths kept close surveillance in the related areas. According to sources, as Saokat was trying to arrive at the NIA’s office at New Town in the northern outskirts of Kolkata to voluntarily surrender, he was nabbed midway from an undisclosed location at Baruipur in South 24 Parganas district.

Earlier in the day, the NIA conducted extensive searches in connection with the Bhangar bomb blast case and arrested one more accused.

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, NIA officials said on Thursday in a statement.

The explosion had taken place while crude bombs were being manufactured by the accused and their aides ahead of the recent West Bengal Assembly elections.

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.

NIA investigations revealed that after the blast, the accused Sainur Molla drove the Scorpio vehicle used to transport one person killed in the explosion, as well as several injured.

–IANS

src/dan