West Bengal: Mofakkerul Islam, an All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader and Calcutta High Court advocate, was arrested by the West Bengal Police on Friday, April 3, on charges of mobilising a crowd and threatening election officers in Malda district.
According to the police, on April 2, Islam and his supporters used provocative speech and gheraoed seven poll officials on Special Intensive Revision (SIR) duty in the Kaliachak area. A video has surfaced showing Islam openly challenging senior officials, including the Superintendent of Police (SP) and the District Magistrate (DM), during the protest, with him heard saying, “Oye DM, oye SP, who is the CID? Where is the IB? Where are you all? Come here.”
Islam contested as an AIMIM candidate in the 2021 Assembly elections. The party has confirmed his association.
Arrested while fleeing state: Bengal police
On April 3, Islam, along with another person, Akramul Bagani, was arrested at Bagdogra airport while allegedly trying to board a flight to Bengaluru. The police described Islam as the “mastermind” of the Kaliachak incident.
His arrest came within 24 hours of the Supreme Court of India criticising the Mamata Banerjee government for the incident and directing that it be investigated by an agency such as the National Investigation Team (NIA) or the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
While the AIMIM leader was remanded to 14 days of police custody, the court ordered six days for Akramul Bagani.
A total of 35 people have been arrested so far.
Police said Islam had posted a cryptic message on social media before his arrest.
In a Facebook Live video before being taken away, the AIMIM leader claimed he had only joined a protest against the deletion of names from the voters’ list. “I have been arrested at Bagdogra airport because I stood with the voters whose names had been deleted,” he said.
As he was being taken to Malda, he remained defiant. “This movement will continue till the names are restored,” he told reporters.
Politically motivated: Humayun Kabir
Aam Janata Unnayan Party founder Humayun Kabir on Saturday, April 4, termed Islam’s arrest “unjust and politically motivated.” He claimed that the police had in fact arrested the person who “helped in restoring peace in the area.”
“The action by the Bengal CID following Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee‘s instruction is unjust and politically motivated”
Kabir asserted the protest had no connection with the gherao of the judicial officers. “There is no evidence of Mofakkarul Islam being present or delivering any speech at that location,” he said.
He claimed that Trinamool Congress candidate Sabina Yasmin and Congress’ Abdul Hannan were present at the Sujapur gathering and had expressed support for the protest, with videos of them at the site circulating on social media.
“However, no action has been taken against them,” the AJUP founder added.
Kabir, who was suspended from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in December last year, claimed the “facts of the incident are being misrepresented and twisted.”
The West Bengal Assembly polls will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29. Votes will be counted on May 4.
(With PTI inputs)
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