Manik Maitra murder: CBI arrests proclaimed offender Shyamal Barman in Siliguri
Synopsis
Nearly four years after being declared a proclaimed offender in the Manik Maitra post-poll murder case, Shyamal Barman has finally been arrested by the CBI in Siliguri. The arrest, backed by a ₹50,000 reward, clears a key hurdle in a case that the Calcutta High Court had ordered the CBI to investigate — and comes the same week the agency raided eight Kolkata premises over a ₹191 crore PNB loan fraud.
Key Takeaways
CBI arrested proclaimed offender Shyamal Barman on 18 June in the Manik Maitra post-poll murder case from Siliguri, West Bengal .
Barman had been evading arrest since FIR No.
104/2021 was registered on 5 May 2021 at Sitalkuchi Police Station, Cooch Behar .
The ACJM, Mathabhanga declared him a proclaimed offender on 8 February 2022 ; a cash reward of ₹50,000 had been announced for his capture.
The CBI has filed charge sheets against a total of 24 accused in the case across three filings.
Separately, the CBI searched eight premises in Kolkata over an alleged ₹191 crore loan fraud involving Punjab National Bank across three companies.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday, 18 June arrested Shyamal Barman, a proclaimed offender in the post-poll violence case linked to the murder of Manik Maitra, from Siliguri, West Bengal. Barman had been evading arrest since the case was first registered in 2021, and had never appeared before investigators or the trial court.
Background of the Case
The CBI took over the case on the orders of the Calcutta High Court vide its order dated 27 August 2021, registering the matter by assuming charge of FIR No. 104/2021 dated 5 May 2021, originally filed at Sitalkuchi Police Station, Cooch Behar. The FIR pertained to allegations of post-poll violence in which Manik Maitra was killed.
Following its investigation, the CBI filed a charge sheet on 27 September 2021 against six accused. Subsequent supplementary charge sheets, filed on 26 April 2022 and 11 August 2022, named 18 more accused persons.
Proclaimed Offender Status and Arrest
As Barman continued to evade the law, the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM), Mathabhanga, Cooch Behar, declared him a proclaimed offender vide order dated 8 February 2022. The CBI had announced a cash reward of ₹50,000 for information leading to his apprehension. Following his arrest, Barman was produced before the competent court at Siliguri and remanded to judicial custody, according to a CBI statement.
Separate PNB Loan Fraud Raids in Kolkata
In a separate development, the CBI on Wednesday conducted searches at eight premises in Kolkata, seizing incriminating documents in connection with an alleged collective loan fraud of ₹191 crore involving Punjab National Bank (PNB). The searches covered three distinct cases against Tantia Construction, Brahm Alloys, and Amrit Feeds.
Tantia Construction is accused of defrauding PNB of ₹73 crore through misuse of Cash Credit and Term Loan facilities, allegedly diverting funds to subsidiaries and routing amounts through non-standard accounts. Brahm Alloys is accused of defrauding the bank of ₹58 crore via Cash Credit facilities. The Amrit Feeds case involves an alleged fraud of ₹60 crore through Cash Credit and Term Loan facilities; searches were conducted at the residential premises of the company's directors.
What Happens Next
With Barman now in judicial custody, the trial in the Manik Maitra murder case is expected to proceed without further delay. The CBI's parallel crackdown on financial fraud signals an intensified enforcement posture in West Bengal, with investigators likely to file further charge sheets as the seized documents are examined.
Point of View
Nearly three years after he was declared a proclaimed offender, raises uncomfortable questions about how long a determined fugitive can elude a federal agency. The CBI's reliance on a ₹50,000 cash reward — a modest sum — suggests intelligence gaps rather than a sophisticated manhunt. More broadly, the West Bengal post-poll violence cases have moved at an uneven pace: charge sheets were filed promptly in 2021 and 2022, yet key accused remained at large well into 2025. The simultaneous PNB fraud raids signal that the CBI is widening its footprint in the state, but the real test is whether these arrests translate into convictions — something India's federal investigative agency has historically struggled to demonstrate at scale.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Shyamal Barman and why was he arrested?
Shyamal Barman is an accused in the post-poll violence case involving the murder of Manik Maitra in Cooch Behar, West Bengal. He was arrested by the CBI on 18 June after being declared a proclaimed offender in February 2022 for evading investigation and trial.
What is the Manik Maitra murder case?
The case relates to the killing of Manik Maitra during alleged post-poll violence in Cooch Behar, registered under FIR No. 104/2021 at Sitalkuchi Police Station on 5 May 2021. The Calcutta High Court ordered the CBI to take over the investigation on 27 August 2021.
How many accused have been charge-sheeted in the Manik Maitra case?
The CBI has filed charge sheets against a total of 24 accused — six in the initial charge sheet on 27 September 2021, and 18 more across supplementary filings on 26 April 2022 and 11 August 2022.
What is the ₹191 crore PNB fraud case the CBI raided in Kolkata?
The CBI searched eight premises in Kolkata in connection with alleged loan fraud totalling ₹191 crore against Punjab National Bank, spread across three separate cases involving Tantia Construction (₹73 crore), Brahm Alloys (₹58 crore), and Amrit Feeds (₹60 crore).
What happens to Shyamal Barman after his arrest?
After his arrest, Barman was produced before the competent court in Siliguri and remanded to judicial custody. His arrest is expected to allow the trial in the Manik Maitra murder case to proceed without further delay.
