Third suspect arrested in West Bengal terror module case, say police
Kolkata: The West Bengal Police’s Special Task Force (STF) has arrested a third person in connection with an alleged terror module involving suspected Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) operative Hamim Mondal. The accused, identified as Aditya Singh, also known as Raju and Raj, was taken into custody from Howrah district on Monday (August 3, 2026), officials said.
Singh’s arrest comes two days after his alleged associates, Mondal and Arpita Sarkar, were detained on July 31. Mondal was arrested from Bardhaman in West Bengal, while Sarkar was picked up from Sahebganj in neighbouring Jharkhand. STF officials also questioned Singh’s family members on Monday, but they denied having any knowledge of his contacts.
According to STF sources, the network was conducting surveillance on high-profile targets, including Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, other state ministers, and senior police officials. The STF’s Inspector General said Mondal had also planned to procure police uniforms to infiltrate recent student protests in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and carry out violence.
Investigators suspect Singh was in touch with Mondal through encrypted online messaging platforms and had been recruited into the organisation. Officials said credible leads emerged during the probe that led to Singh’s arrest.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has been roped in and is interrogating Sarkar and Mondal to ascertain the network’s plans. State intelligence agencies are also examining suspected cross-border communications and financial transactions linked to the suspects.
“We are in touch with the West Bengal STF and are pursuing the leads. Whatever comes, we will act on that. We are constantly alert,” Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Nand said on Monday. He added that discussions would be held with the Director of Security regarding possible threats to senior ministers and officials.
Police have recovered documents, gadgets, and details of financial transactions from the suspects. Bank accounts linked to them have been seized and are being examined for further leads. The STF had earlier indicated that the initial arrests might be part of a larger racket, with more individuals under the scanner.
According to STF officials, Mondal had links with multiple Pakistani terror organisations, including the Shehzad Bhatti gang, and was in regular contact with them. Sarkar, a friend of Mondal, was allegedly used in an attempt to honey-trap the son of a state minister.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have not ruled out further arrests. Meanwhile, security around senior state functionaries has been reviewed in light of the alleged surveillance.
