Rifle Factory Ishapore case: Another arrest by STF from Bihar

Kolkata: Police arrested another person on Sunday in connection with the smuggling of firearms from Rifle Factory Ishapore to the Maoists.

Kolkata Police's Special Task Force (STF) conducted a raid in Bihar and arrested him. This is the seventh arrest in connection with the case.

A police officer said 35-year-old Rajesh Kumar, alias Munna, was arrested from Nalanda in Bihar on Sunday.

He was produced before Bihar Sharif Court. He will be brought to Kolkata in transit remand and will be produced before the Bankshall Court on Monday.

Investigation revealed that he was a close associate of Ajay Pandey, alias Pandit, who was one of the main persons of the racket that used to smuggle firearms to the Maoists. The police had earlier arrested six persons including two from Bihar and four residents of Ishapore in North 24-Parganas. Two of the residents of Ishapore were also employees of the rifle factory. Pandit hails from Bihar.

It may be recalled that a team comprising senior officers of the city police's STF went to Bihar a few days ago after getting information that Pandit had some close aides who used to supply firearms also to the insurgent groups in the North East.

Acting on a tip-off, the police conducted a raid and arrested Rajesh, who is a resident of Bihar Sharif's Ramchandrapur near Ajanta Cinema Hall at Nalanda under Laheri Police Station.

Investigation revealed that Munna was involved in deals in which firearms were supplied to the Maoists. It was Munna, whom the police are suspecting to be the last person in the chain who used to handover the firearms to the Maoists.

The police will pray for Munna's custody after producing him before the Bankshall Court on Monday and will interrogate him to get information about other members of the racket as well.