Truck driver booked for ‘murder attempt’ on Sandeshkhali case witness

Kolkata: In the alleged attempt to murder a prime witness in the Sandeshkhali violence case, police arrested the offending truck driver, Alim Molla, late on Sunday night from the Minakha area of Bashirhat. Alim was produced before the Bashirhat sub-divisional court on Monday and has been remanded to police custody for nine days.

The case relates to an incident involving Bholanath Ghosh, a key witness in the Sandeshkhali violence case, in which suspended TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh is the prime accused.

On December 10, Bholanath was travelling to the Bashirhat sub-divisional court for a scheduled hearing, accompanied by his younger son, Satyajit Ghosh.

According to the allegations, a truck that was purportedly violating its lane rammed head-on into Bholanath’s car, causing it to plunge into a roadside canal. Satyajit Ghosh and the car’s driver, Shahnoor Molla, died in the accident.

Bholanath alleged that after managing to emerge from the submerged vehicle, he saw the truck driver, Alim Molla, fleeing.

He claimed that Nazrul Molla, said to be the current owner of the truck, was present on a motorcycle, with Alim seated as the pillion rider.

During probe, police arrested three persons, including the truck helper, although their names were not mentioned in the FIR. Subsequently, on December 16, Nazrul Molla was apprehended. Based on his interrogation and source information, police arrested Alim Molla late on Sunday night.