Second Suspect Arrested in Extortion Case Targeting Trinamool Leader in Malda, Bengal
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Synopsis
The Malda district police have apprehended a second suspect linked to the extortion call against Trinamool Congress leader Krishnendu Narayan Chowdhury. The suspect, Wasim Akram, provided the SIM card used in the threats, while the main accused, Shahdat Sheikh, was arrested earlier.
Key Takeaways
- Second arrest made in extortion case.
- Wasim Akram supplied the SIM card.
- Shahdat Sheikh impersonated a D-Company associate.
- Threat aimed to instill panic among Trinamool Congress leaders.
- Chowdhury received threats over WhatsApp and phone.
Kolkata, Feb 23 (NationPress) The police in the Malda district have apprehended a second suspect related to the extortion call directed at senior Trinamool Congress leader and chairman of English Bazar Municipality, Krishnendu Narayan Chowdhury, that occurred last week.
This arrest took place late on Saturday night. According to police sources, the second individual taken into custody has been recognized as Wasim Akram, who facilitated the provision of the SIM card to the principal suspect in the case, Shahdat Sheikh, who initiated the extortion call. Sheikh impersonated a Pradeep, an associate of the notorious D-Company, in a message sent to Chowdhury.
The D-Company is a criminal organization established in Mumbai by infamous gangster Dawood Ibrahim.
Shahdat Sheikh, a local resident of Kaliachak in Malda district, was previously arrested on Saturday afternoon by investigators. The SIM card provided to Akram was utilized by Sheikh to make the extortion call as well as to send an identical message.
In response to the situation, Chowdhury expressed his belief that the threat was intended to instill fear among the Trinamool Congress leadership in the Malda district.
“This all began with the murder of our party councillor from English Bazar Municipality in broad daylight on a road last month. The efforts to induce panic among our party leaders in the district are ongoing,” Chowdhury stated.
During questioning, Shahdat Sheikh claimed he had been overwhelmed by significant debt and resorted to making the extortion call to Chowdhury.
Interestingly, on Saturday morning, Abdul Rahim Boxi, the Trinamool Congress Malda district president and local legislator from the Malatipur Assembly constituency, issued a warning to the police, indicating that party members would be forced to respond if immediate action was not taken.
On Friday, Chowdhury lodged a police complaint stating that he received a call from an unidentified individual identifying himself as Pradeep of D-Company, threatening to wipe out his entire family unless he paid a sum of Rs 20 lakh within 24 hours.
Previously, Chowdhury had received two similar messages via WhatsApp which he dismissed as mere pranks.
