Kolkata, May 28 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday said that it has arrested an absconding accused in West Bengal in the case of the attack on the convoy of BJP leader Priyangu Pandey at Bhatpara in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal in August last year.

The arrested individual has been identified as Mohit Mahato a.k.a. Shail.

According to a press statement issued by NIA on Wednesday, Mahato was arrested in Bengaluru by a team of the NIA after sustained efforts and on the basis of various technical and human intelligence input.

“The NIA team also seized from him some incriminating documents along with a mobile phone, which is under examination,” the NIA statement read.

According to it, with the arrest of Mahato, a resident of Bhatpara (West Bengal), a total of 17 accused have been arrested so far in the case, in which Priyangu Pandey and his entourage were attacked while they were on the way to the residence of a former BJP Lok Sabha member from Barrackpore constituency in North 24 Parganas district, Arjun Singh on August 28, 2024.

The miscreants attacked the convoy with explosives and firearms.

“While 12 arrests were made by the state police soon after the attack, NIA has arrested 5 more accused in the case,” the NIA statement read.

The NIA investigation has already exposed a criminal conspiracy behind the attack which has been detailed in the charge sheet.

After the attack, Pandey accused the ruling Trinamool Congress activists of leading the pre-planned attack on him.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs directed transferring the case from West Bengal police to NIA expressing concerns over public safety since explosives and firearms were used during the attack.

Thereafter, the NIA started the investigation after registering a first information report on the matter.

–IANS

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