Who Are the 18 Additional Accused in the Killing of a BJP Worker in Bengal?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- The CBI has charged an additional 18 individuals in a politically sensitive murder case.
- A total of 38 suspects are now implicated in the murder of BJP worker Abhijit Sarkar.
- The investigation has drawn significant media attention and public scrutiny.
- Political implications may arise from the involvement of a legislator in the case.
- Arun Dey, a key suspect, was recently apprehended after four years on the run.
Kolkata, July 2 (NationPress) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) announced on Wednesday that it has filed a supplementary charge sheet at a special court in Kolkata on June 20, identifying 18 more individuals involved in the murder of BJP worker Abhijit Sarkar in 2021, including one legislator and two councillors.
With the addition of these 18 individuals, the total number of accused in this case has now reached 38.
The investigation initially began with the homicide squad from the Detective Department of Kolkata Police, which had previously named 15 suspects in their initial charge sheet.
After a Calcutta High Court directive, the CBI took over the case, registering it in August 2021 and later submitting a supplementary charge sheet in September 2021 that included 20 suspects, incorporating the 15 already identified by the city police.
While the CBI has not disclosed the name of the legislator among the 18 newly accused, political insiders speculate that he is Paresh Paul, a Trinamool Congress legislator from the Belegahta Assembly constituency in North Kolkata, known to have been questioned by the CBI regarding this case.
His name was notably absent from the previous supplementary charge sheet, which has caused distress among the family of the deceased BJP worker.
Recently, the CBI apprehended a key fugitive in the murder case, Arun Dey, after he had been on the run for four years. Dey was one of five prime suspects in the murder of Sarkar, who lived in the Kankurgachi area of North Kolkata. A reward of Rs 50,000 had been offered for information leading to his arrest.
Abhijit Sarkar was fatally attacked on May 2, 2021, shortly after the Assembly election results were announced, in which the Trinamool Congress achieved a significant victory.