Bengal STF arrests Jharkhand woman in probe into JeM suspect's network
The West Bengal Police's Special Task Force (STF) has arrested a woman from the neighbouring state of Jharkhand in connection with its investigation into suspected Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) operative Mohammad Hamim Mondal, who was detained from Bardhaman town earlier this week, officials said on Saturday.
The woman, identified as Arpita Sarkar, was arrested from Sahibganj district on Friday. She is a resident of the Barharwa area in Sahibganj. According to officials, Sarkar was allegedly in regular contact with Mondal through WhatsApp. Investigators said they have recovered chats between the two during the course of the probe.
Mondal was arrested from his rented apartment in a housing complex in Bardhaman town on Thursday. Police suspect he was part of an ISI-backed network tasked with gathering intelligence on high-profile individuals, including leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), recruiting operatives, and laying the groundwork for possible terror activities in the state.
Officials allege that Mondal used Sarkar to establish contacts with influential political leaders in West Bengal and collect personal information about them. An STF officer said, "Sarkar allegedly played a key role in a 'honey-trap' network used to lure targets as part of the suspected module's activities. Our investigation suggests that the accused attempted to build a network to access sensitive personal information of certain political personalities."
The officer added, "The woman was allegedly used to develop contacts and facilitate the collection of such information. We are verifying the digital evidence and examining the exact nature of her role."
Sarkar has been brought to Purba Bardhaman and is scheduled to be produced before a court later in the day. Police said they are also probing whether the information she allegedly collected was intended for use in planning attacks.
Regarding Mondal, police said his ancestral home is in Dirghanagar village under the Monteswar police station area in Purba Bardhaman. His father, Moniruddin, has been residing in Howrah's Pilkhana area since 1998 due to work. Mondal, along with his family, had recently moved to the rented flat from which he was arrested.
The investigation is ongoing, with authorities focusing on the digital trail and the broader network linked to the accused. The STF has not ruled out further arrests as the probe continues.
