The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday, 14 August arrested proclaimed offender Masad Seikh from Wari Bander in Mumbai's Dongri area in connection with the 2022 murder of Trinamool Congress (TMC) gram panchayat leader Bhadu Sheikh. Seikh had been absconding for over three years since an FIR was registered in the case, evading both investigation and trial.

Background of the Bhadu Sheikh Murder Case

Bhadu Sheikh, a TMC gram panchayat leader, was murdered on 21 March 2022 at Bogtui in West Bengal's Birbhum district. The case drew significant attention and was taken over by the CBI on 8 April 2022 pursuant to an order by the Calcutta High Court, which directed the agency to assume charge of the FIR originally registered at Rampurhat Police Station on 22 March 2022.

Following its investigation, the CBI filed a chargesheet and subsequent supplementary chargesheets in 2022 and 2023 against nine accused, including Masad Seikh, before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court at Rampurhat, Birbhum. The trial was later transferred to the Additional District and Sessions Judge court in Purba Bardhaman, West Bengal.

How the Arrest Was Made

According to an official CBI statement, the arrest was executed on the basis of human intelligence and technical inputs. Masad Seikh had never appeared before investigators or the trial court since the FIR was registered in 2022, making him a proclaimed offender under law. He is now being brought to Kolkata from Mumbai for production before the competent court, the CBI confirmed.

Separate Development: Calcutta High Court Refuses to Hear Fugitive Quarry Owner

In a related development, a single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court on Thursday declined to hear a petition filed by absconding stone quarry owner Tulu Mondal alias Mohammad Nazibuddin of Birbhum district, who had challenged a 'Hulia' — a court-issued notice containing a description of a fugitive — issued against him by a district court in Birbhum.

Mondal is under scrutiny from both the Birbhum District Police and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) after cash worth ₹28 crore and 15 kg of gold valued at approximately ₹22 crore were recovered from the residence of his close relative, Minar Mondal. During questioning, Minar reportedly admitted that the seized assets belonged to Tulu and that he had only been entrusted with safekeeping them.

Authorities subsequently issued a Red Corner Notice against Tulu Mondal, who has been absconding since the recovery. The dual developments signal an intensifying crackdown on fugitives linked to the Birbhum district's criminal and political ecosystem.

What Happens Next

Masad Seikh will be produced before the Additional District and Sessions Judge court in Purba Bardhaman. With eight other accused already charged, the trial's progression now hinges on Seikh's formal arraignment. The Tulu Mondal matter, meanwhile, remains active before both the district police and the ED, with the Red Corner Notice expanding the search internationally.