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July 5: Police arrested a Maoist linkman from the city last night.
A police source said the accused, Tapan Barman alias Rabin, 35, was arrested from the Hadayatpur area of the city for his alleged links with Maoists.
Barman, who stays at a house near Raj Bhavan, is an employee of a private printing press at Hadayatpur.
He was remanded in seven-day police custody after he was produced in the court of chief judicial magistrate, Kamrup, here this afternoon.
The source said sustained interrogation of the accused may throw more light on Maoists activities, their members and linkmen in the state.
“Barman had close links with Maoists since 2004. He was arrested in connection with a case registered at Fatasil Ambari police station,” the source said.
He said Barman was picked up based on the confessions of a Maoist cadre identified as Naresh alias Moinul, hailing from Mankachar area in Dhubri district, who was arrested from Dhirenpara last month.
“Barman’s job was to facilitate the stay of Maoist rebels in the city and arrange for their travel to other parts of the region. He had helped Maoist leader from Bengal, Ajay Chanda alias Indranil Chanda, during his visits to Assam,” the source said.
Chanda, who was arrested in Calcutta on April 21, is currently in Guwahati Central Jail after he was brought here in connection with a case registered at the Guwahati branch of the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Chanda was entrusted by the top Maoist leadership with the task of expanding their base in Assam and to forge ties with other militant groups of the Northeast.
“Barman helped Chanda during his visits to Assam,” the source said.
According to him, Barman also had close ties with Maoist leader Pallab Borbora, who was arrested by the NIA from Golaghat district last month.
“We have confirmed Barman’s role in transhipment of a large quantity of ammunition belonging to the Maoists from the city to some locations in Upper Assam,” he said.
The source said the Maoists had purchased the ammunition from the Manipur-based militant group, the Peoples’ Liberation Army (PLA). He said more arrests were likely to be made in this case on basis of statement made to the police by Barman.
The accused is also likely to be interrogated by the officials of the Central intelligence agencies and National Investigation Agency.
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