Agartala: A senior youth wing leader of Bharatiya Janata Party has been arrested on charges of extortion and removed from the post of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha South Tripura (called Pilak organisational district) immediately after allegations surfaced against him, a senior BJP leader said.
Police sources said the accused Nitish Debnath alias Suman was arrested on Friday night. DIG Southern range Ipper Manchak visited Santirbazar police station on Friday evening and the arrest was made in his presence.
Police sources said the accused succeeded to secure bail on health grounds. “Immediately after the arrest, his health deteriorated. He was shifted to Santirbazar district hospital for treatment. He was referred to GBP hospital Agartala. His bail application was granted by a local court on his health grounds. He may be out on bail, but the investigation against him is underway,” a senior officer of Tripura Police Department told EastMojo.
Debnath was, reportedly, arrested under the instructions of Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha who had been approached by some of the victims who had paid hefty amounts to Debnath as extortion to be allowed to continue their works in the South Tripura district.
Sources said the accused demanded Rs 17 lakh from an influential contractor of South Tripura district as protection money so that his lorries and other construction works run unhindered. The contractor paid Rs 10 lakh and refused to pay more. One of his stone-laden trucks had been impounded by the accused and his men and more money was demanded.
The contractor using his political connections approached the Chief Minister and apprised him of as to how his party workers are acting as “stumbling blocks” in the path of state’s development, a source close to the Chief Minister said.
The matter was later discussed in the party forums and legal action was initiated against the accused. A day after his arrest, BJP youth wing general secretary issued an appointment order for one Bipul Bhowmik as the president of South Tripura district Yuva Morcha replacing Nitish Debnath.
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Sources close to Nitish said, “The contractor was targeted because he had funded the CPIM party during the assembly elections and tried to damage the ruling party’s prospects in various areas of the South Tripura district.”
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister also constituted a Special Task Force (STF) on Saturday to deal with such organised networks that are involved in extortion.
Speaking on the issue, Tripura Police PRO Jyotshiman Das Chowdhury said, “This task force is free to operate anywhere in the state. SP Crime Branch economic offences will lead the STF and cops will be assigned with the special team based on the requirements placed by the head of the force.”
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