After Mamata Banerjee’s ‘not safe’ claim, man arrested for doing ‘recce’ of Abhishek Banerjee’s house

The Kolkata Police Special Task Force on Monday arrested a Mumbai-based man for allegedly doing “recce” of the residence and office of Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee.

This comes days after West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee claimed that she and her nephew, Abhishek, were “not safe”.

The arrested person has been identified as Rajaram Rege, and he is connected to a political party in Maharashtra, an official told news agency PTI. According to the police report, Rege tried to call up the TMC’s Diamond Harbour MP and his personal assistant (PA).

Additional commissioner of police Murlidhar Sharma claimed that Rege had met the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack prime accused David Headley earlier.

The officer said, “Today, our officers arrested Rajaram Rege from Mumbai. He had visited Kolkata last week, stayed here, and conducted a recce of TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee’s offices and residence. He obtained the mobile phone numbers of Banerjee and his PA and tried to contact them.”

“It (the recce) indicates that something similar to 26/11 could have happened. There could be a big conspiracy. We have to check whether there is any such plan,” he added.

The police are currently investigating Rege’s purpose of visit to Kolkata. The documents he used to travel to Kolkata are also being examined. The authorities said that the man stayed in the city from April 18 to 20. It is unclear how Rege obtained Abhishek Banerjee’s phone number and why he was trying to reach him.

On the incident, senior TMC leader Derek O’Brien said, “Today a 26/11 Mumbai terror attack-like incident has been busted, thanks to the Kolkata Police. It was planned on our leader Abhishek Banerjee. The person arrested was involved in the Mumbai terror attack also. Police have enough evidence that he also approached some people.”

‘We are not safe’: West Bengal CM

Last week, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee alleged that the BJP is conspiring against her and Abhishek Banerjee, and asked all the TMC workers and people of the state to be on guard.

While addressing an election rally in the Balurghat constituency, the chief minister said, “The BJP is targeting me and Abhishek, we are not safe, but we are also not afraid of the saffron party’s conspiracy. We urge everyone to be on guard against a conspiracy against TMC leaders and the people of West Bengal.”

These remarks by Banerjee came a day after BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari said there would be a “big explosion on Monday which will shake the TMC and its top brass”.