Kolkata, 24 February (H.S.): In a significant breakthrough, Malda district police have made a second arrest in connection with the extortion call made to senior Trinamool Congress leader and English Bazar Municipality chairman, Krishnendu Narayan Chowdhury. The suspect, identified as Wasim Akram, was apprehended late night for allegedly supplying the SIM card used in the extortion attempt.
Police sources revealed that Akram provided the SIM card to the primary accused, Shahdat Sheikh, who posed as an associate of the notorious D-Company and demanded Rs 20 lakh from Chowdhury. Sheikh, a resident of Kaliachak in Malda district, was arrested earlier on Saturday afternoon. The police confirmed that he not only made the extortion call but also sent threatening WhatsApp messages to Chowdhury.
D-Company, an organized crime syndicate founded by fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim, is infamous for its criminal activities across the globe. By invoking its name, the accused aimed to create fear among political leaders in the region.
Chowdhury, reacting to the arrests, stated that the threats were an attempt to instill panic among Trinamool Congress leaders in Malda. He linked the incident to the murder of a party councillor from English Bazar Municipality last month, emphasizing that attempts to intimidate the party leadership had not ceased.
Meanwhile, Malda district Trinamool Congress president and Malatipur MLA Abdul Rahim Boxi had earlier warned the police to act swiftly, cautioning that party workers might be forced to react if prompt action was not taken.
The extortion attempt came to light on Friday when Chowdhury filed a police complaint stating that an anonymous caller, identifying himself as Pradeep from D-Company, threatened to eliminate his family unless he paid Rs 20 lakh within 24 hours. Prior to this, Chowdhury had received two similar WhatsApp messages, which he initially dismissed as pranks.
During interrogation, Sheikh reportedly confessed that he was burdened with heavy debts and saw extortion as a way out. The police are now probing deeper into the case to uncover any larger conspiracy behind the incident.
Hindusthan Samachar / S P Singh
