Kolkata, June 18 (IANS) The CBI on Thursday arrested a Proclaimed Offender in a post-poll violence case relating to the murder of Manik Maitra from Siliguri, West Bengal, an official said.

Shyamal Barman has been at large since the registration of the FIR in this case and has never joined the investigation/trial, said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in a statement.

The CBI had announced a cash reward of Rs 50,000 for his apprehension.

After the arrest, the accused was produced before the Competent Court at Siliguri and sent to judicial custody, it said.

In compliance with the order of Calcutta High Court dated August 27, 2021, the CBI had registered the instant case by taking over FIR No. 104 / 2021 dated May 5, 2021, of Sitalkuchi Police Station of Cooch Behar, on the allegations of Post-Poll Violence wherein Manik Maitra was killed, the statement said.

After the investigation, the CBI filed a charge sheet on September 27, 2021, against six accused. Subsequently, after further investigation, Supplementary Charge sheets were filed on April 26, 2022 and August 11, 2022, against 18 more accused persons.

As the Barman was hiding and evading trial, the ACJM, Mathabhanga, Cooch Behar, declared the accused a Proclaimed Offender vide order dated February 8, 2022.

In another development in Kolkata, the CBI on Wednesday searched eight premises in Kolkata and seized incriminating documents in connection with three separate companies involved in a collective loan fraud worth Rs 191 crore with Punjab National Bank, an official said.

The CBI undertook searches in connection with three separate cases registered against Tantia Construction, Brahm Alloys and Amrit Feeds, the official said in a statement.

The Tantia Construction case pertains to defrauding PNB to the tune of Rs 73 crore in the matter related to Cash Credit and Term Loan facilities availed from the Bank, the statement said.

The accused resorted to fraudulent means to divert funds availed from the bank, including financing long-term capital requirements for its subsidiaries/associate concerns and routing substantial amounts through non-standard accounts, it said.

The Brahm Alloys case involves defrauding Punjab National Bank (PNB) to the tune of Rs 58 crore in a matter related to the Cash Credit facility availed from the Bank.

In the Amrit Feeds case, searches were conducted at the residential premises of the company’s Directors, and CBI officials seized incriminating documents.

The case pertains to defrauding PNB to the tune of Rs 60 crore in the matter related to Cash Credit and Term Loan facilities availed from the Bank, the statement said.

–IANS

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