Arrested Trinamool leader claims party asked him to flee

Kolkata, March 8 (IANS) Trinamool Congress leader Mohammad Iqbal, a key accused in the murder of a police officer here Feb 12, said after his arrest Friday that he was asked to abscond by his party leadership.

Meanwhile, following a Bihar court granting the West Bengal Police transit remand, Iqbal is being brought back to city where he will be produced in a court.

Iqbal, who was on the run after the Feb 12 incident, claimed that he was asked by his party leaders to evade arrest.

“I did not flee Kolkata because of the murder but was asked by party leaders to lie low. I was asked by Trinamool leaders to abscond and evade arrest,” Iqbal told a news channel.

Iqbal, who has been charged with rioting and attempt to murder, was arrested Thursday night from Dehri-on-Sone in Bihar — 23 days after special branch officer Tapas Chowdhury was shot dead in broad daylight in the city’s Garden Reach area during a clash between student activists.

“He was produced before a court in Gaya and we were allowed a transit remand. Iqbal is now being brought to city and after his arrival he will be produced before a court,” said a senior officer of the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which is probing the case.

Meanwhile, Special Inspector General (CID) Vineet Goyal described iqbal as a “prize catch”.

“As he was not using a mobile it was difficult assessing his location. But he called up his family in Kolkata from PCO which gave a vital link about his whereabouts and we finally arrested him.

“Jharkhand, Bihar and the Kolkata polices have been diligently pursuing the case and their joint effort enabled us to finally apprehend him. We have seized more than Rs.1 lakh from his person,” he said.

Chowdhury was killed while he was trying to control clashing Trinamool Congress and Congress students at the Harimohan Ghosh College. The Trinamool councillor and chief of the borough committee was seen at the spot of the incident, threatening a policeman and mobilising his supporters.

Video footage aired by television channels showed Iqbal standing beside Sheikh Subhaan, the man who was caught on TV firing the bullet that allegedly killed the policeman.

The violence had erupted over the issue of picking up nomination forms for the students’ union polls.

Twelve people, including Subhaan, an aide of Iqbal, are currently behind bars for their role in the violence.

IANS 2013-03-08 22:24:04