Arrested suspect linked to JeM, planned attack on Bengal CM
What's the story
Hamim Mondal, a terror suspect arrested in West Bengal, was allegedly planning to target Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, NDTV reported. The Special Task Force (STF) revealed that Mondal was linked to the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terror group. He was arrested from Purba Bardhaman district two days ago and is now in 14-day STF custody.
Planned infiltration
Mondal tasked to infiltrate student protest in Delhi
Inspector General (STF) Gaurav Sharma said Mondal was tasked by his handlers to infiltrate a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.
"Pakistani handlers asked Hamim Mondal to infiltrate the student protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi while dressed in a police uniform and carry out disturbances," Sharma said.
The STF also revealed that Mondal's girlfriend, Arpita Sarkar, was arrested from Jharkhand on Friday for her alleged involvement in honeytrapping and kidnapping plots against state minister Umesh Ray's son.
Evidence found
International sim cards recovered from the suspects
The STF recovered international SIM cards from Mondal and Sarkar, which were likely used for encrypted communication with their handlers.
The agency also found that Mondal was radicalized through social media before working for his Pakistan-based operatives.
The handlers of the Shahzad Bhatti gang, to which Mondal and Sarkar allegedly belong, are suspected of involvement in radicalization, terror recruitment, and narco-terror activities.
Ongoing probe
STF probing full extent of terror network
The STF is now trying to trace the full extent of this terror network and its cross-border links.
The agency had first zeroed in on Sarkar's social media account during a probe into the honeytrap case, which led it to Mondal.
Further details of the investigation remain under wraps due to its sensitive nature.