Puri, May 27: Senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Dilip Mondal was arrested by the West Bengal STF from Puri on Wednesday after remaining absconding for several weeks.
Sources said Mondal was arrested from a private hotel in the pilgrim city.
Mondal, a former Minister in the Mamata Banerjee Government, had been on the run since allegations surfaced against him for allegedly threatening political rivals. Earlier on May 14, police conducted raids at properties linked to the Mondal in the Pailan area.
The arrest comes days after Mondal’s son, Arghya Mondal, was arrested along with five others from the Bakkhali-Fraserganj area in South 24 Parganas on May 18 for allegedly possessing firearms.
Investigators had earlier described Dilip Mondal as “absconding”.
The arrest of the TMC veteran comes amid an intensified crackdown by the newly formed BJP Government in West Bengal on Trinamool leaders and functionaries over alleged corruption, extortion and recruitment irregularities and intimidation and threats against political rivals.
In recent weeks, several Trinamool leaders, councillors and civic body officials have either been arrested or questioned by central and state agencies.
Former Trinamool Minister Sujit Bose was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on May 11 in connection with an alleged recruitment scam linked to the South Dum Dum Municipality, triggering growing unease within the All India Trinamool Congress.
