West Bengal Police on Friday arrested the alleged mastermind behind the gherao of seven judicial officers in Malda, picking him up from Bagdogra airport while he was allegedly attempting to flee, officials said.
The accused, identified as advocate Mofakkerul Islam, was detained in Siliguri along with an associate, a senior officer said.
"He is the mastermind of the Kaliachak incident in which seven judicial officers were gheraoed inside a block office for several hours on Wednesday night. He was trying to board a flight to flee," the officer told PTI.
Addressing reporters, ADG (North Bengal) K Jayaraman said Mofakkerul Islam, a native of Itahar in north Dinajpur district, was currently residing in Kolkata.
Police said three cases have been registered against him at Kaliachak police station for allegedly "instigating" locals through speeches on Wednesday, following which the seven judicial officers were gheraoed inside the Kaliachak-2 block office under the Mothabari assembly constituency.
"We started tracking Mofakkerul Islam after the incident, and with the help of West Bengal Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Siliguri Police, nabbed him and his associate from Bagdogra airport. Three cases were lodged against him for instigating locals in three different places," he said, adding that a total of 19 cases have been lodged in connection with the Kaliachak incident.
Police sources said a video of the lawyer that was widely shared on social media alerted them to his role in Wednesday night’s provocation that left seven judicial officers held hostage by a mob.
“He had switched off his cellphone soon after the incident. We suspect he was trying to flee to Bengaluru. He will be produced in court later today,” said an officer.
Mofakkerul Islam practiced law in the Raiganj district court before moving to the Calcutta High Court. In the 2021 Assembly elections, Mofakkarul contested the polls as nominee of Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM from Itahar where he received only 831 votes.
Despite the National Investigation Agency (NIA) taking over the probe, the West Bengal Police will continue their investigation to ascertain whether the incident was "pre-planned" and if more individuals were involved, the officer said.
With the latest arrests, the number of people held in connection with the incident has risen to 35, including an ISF candidate, police added.