Tathagata red flags BJP's new inductees; says 'turncoats do not have honest intentions'
Kolkata: Former Governor of Meghalaya and Tripura and BJP leader Tathagata Roy recently spoke about his suspicions of 'moles and informers' who are joining the BJP from other political parties, stressing on the need to 'purge'.
Roy reportedly said: "Floodwater gushes in BJP since the results of the 2019 general elections. Some of the turncoats do not have honest intentions. They know that BJP stands a good chance to come to power with things remaining constant."
He further added: "Our party now needs to purge. It also needs to put an examination process in place for the new inductees. Due to the shortsightedness of some leaders in BJP, some anti-BJP elements are trying to thrive in the party. They can betray the party. Party should weed out such elements." A recent chain of events in Bengal could be the reason behind such observations.
The mysterious deletion of BJP leader Mukul Roy's name in a TMC MLA's murder case in Bengal has created new political speculation. The former TMC leader's name was dropped from the supplementary charge-sheet even though there were reports of "strong evidence". This has led to political speculation that TMC is going soft on him and he is paving his way back into the party.
Even though Roy has vehemently opposed these rumours, political sources confirm that he has spoken to important functionaries in the TMC and it has ended in a "fruitful" discussion. Sources also say that Roy went back to the BJP and tried to negotiate a better deal.
Roy, till now, has not been given any formal position in the state BJP unit even though he is always projected as a senior leader of the party. According to sources, leaving BJP now would be a big challenge for Roy as in both Sarada and Narada scams, his role was under serious scrutiny by the CBI and ED but after he joined the saffron party, those investigations did not reach their logical conclusion. Hence, keeping the Central and state agencies at a safe distance, many political observers feel that Roy is taking both the parties for a ride. It is quite clear that the RSS leadership in Bengal is not in favour of giving Roy the front seat whereas he wants to ensure that his position in the party is given a little more importance. Since West Bengal elections are round the corner in May 2021, Roy's action will be of great interest for political watchers.
On February 9, 2019, Satyajit Biswas, TMC MLA from Krishnaganj in Nadia district, was shot dead by unidentified assailants. He was shot at a point-blank range and was declared dead on arrival by Shaktinagar district hospital authorities. Biswas was a popular leader among the Matua community, which is politically sensitive for both TMC and BJP.
According to an eyewitness, three miscreants "shot at" Biswas and a locally-made revolver was recovered from the area. The district police registered an FIR naming four persons, including top BJP leader Mukul Roy. The Officer-in-Charge of the local Hanskhali police station was also suspended for failing to protect the MLA along with one of Biswas' bodyguards who had taken leave for Saraswati Puja on that particular day.
Roy, former general secretary of the TMC and party's ex-MP (Rajya Sabha) from Nadia, also denied any links with the killing. However, several Trinamool leaders who attended Biswas' last rites blamed the BJP. "[…] Satyajit was killed as BJP realised that it is impossible for them to control the area if he is around," said minister and Mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation Firhad Hakim. Trinamool secretary-general Partha Chatterjee echoed the allegations. This was the first-of-its-kind in many years that a ruling party lawmaker was shot dead in a brazen attack ahead of the general elections.
Based on evidence collected, a charge-sheet against three accused persons had already been filed in 2019 with permission from the court to further investigate the case.
Although, Roy is a named accused in the FIR yet a charge-sheet was not filed against him. Subsequently, a further investigation took place and BJP MP Jagannath Sarkar and Mukul Roy were interrogated on various days.
Upon investigation, according to reports, it was found that there is a plethora of evidence against Jagannath Sarkar and Mukul Roy.
Evidence against Jagannath Sarkar includes particulars collected from the Call Detail Record (CDR) of the mobile numbers of Sarkar and Avijit Pundari (principal accused in this case) which clearly highlights that he had gone to Kalyani — the residence of Sarkar — in September 2018 and had met Sarkar.
From the CDR of September-October 2018, a total of 11 exchanges were found between Pundari and Sarkar. On February 10, 2019, a day after the incident, communication was established between Pundari and Sarkar.
On February 11, 2019, three further communications were made between them — one was a text while the other two through calls.
On February 9, 2019 — on the day of the incident — a communication took place between Sarkar and Nirmal Ghosh, one of the arrested accused persons, at 16:12 hours. (Incident occurred on the same day at around 20:15 hours). On February 10, 2019, two further conversations also took place between Sarkar and Ghosh over the phone. Several other conversations have taken place between
them.
The accused persons — Sujit Mondal and Avijit Pundari — met Sarkar, the then president of BJP, Nadia (South) district. They also met another accused Nirmal Ghosh ("Mondal president" of BJP, Bagula) at his house on Sarkar's reference.
Accused Avijit and Sujit narrated their objective of forming a BJP organisation at Hanskhali area to Nirmal Ghosh and explained that for the said purpose, elimination of Biswas (the then MLA of Krishnaganj AC) was of utmost necessity thereby requesting Ghosh for rendering help for procuring improvised arms and ammunition for the said purpose.
Ghosh knowing the political dominion and influence of Biswas, supplied two improvised firearms along with ammunition to Avijit and Sujit.
In compliance with the order of the Calcutta High Court, Sarkar appeared before the IO of the case at CID headquarters at Bhabani Bhaban, Alipore, on February 8, 9, 15, 16 of this year.
However, relevant questions regarding his acquaintance with the arrested accused were avoided despite his prior acquaintance with them. During interrogation, he replied to some questions but avoided answering pertinent ones related to the conversations between him and Avijit Pundari.
Another witness has stated that some days before Saraswati Puja, he saw Mukul Roy, Jagannath Sarkar, Avijit Pundari, Sujit Mondal and Nirmal Ghosh in a meeting inside a house wherein they were discussing amongst themselves a plan to eliminate Biswas.
One witness has stated that he saw the arrested accused persons Avijit and Sujit, talking to each other at Fulbari playground wherein Avijit was heard saying that Roy and Sarkar had given them the job for the work and would pay them huge money.
He heard him saying that they would do the work on the night of "Saraswati Puja".
Evidence against Mukul Roy, who has been named as an accused in the FIR, highlights the statement of a witness saying that he heard Roy telling his labourers at "Swarnakhali ground" that they would not be able to organise themselves till Satyajit Biswas was
around.
The witness further stated that he had heard Roy saying that since they (labourers) were not able to do anything, he would personally see what could be done.
The meeting in which a plan to eliminate Biswas was hatched also remains crucial proof against Roy.
Another witness, in his statement, said Biswas had told him that Roy may cause harm to him and may even get him killed if he (Biswas) did not join the BJP.
Biswas' wife confirmed that he was apprehensive that Roy would harm him and even eliminate him if he did not join the BJP.
Avijit Pundari, while on the run, called up his elder brother-in-law Buddhadeb Mondal on February 17, 2019 night and stated that if he surrendered, then Mukul Roy would also have to surrender, which was not possible by any means. Authenticated CDRs are available and from a perusal of the examination report of voice samples from CFSL, Chandigarh, the sample voice of Pundari has matched with the questioned voice and the sample voice of Buddhadeb Mondal (witness) is similar to the questioned
voice.
However, despite the above, it appears that a supplementary charge-sheet was filed against Jagannath Sarkar with a request to the court to continue with the investigation of the case.
No such charge-sheet was filed against Mukul Roy despite his name appearing as an accused in the FIR and the existence of numerous evidence against him as has been earlier mentioned.
On enquiring from such sources within the CID, as to why no charge-sheet is going to be filed against Roy, the CID has declined to comment.
Hence, there are a number of questions that arise out of this. Firstly, has Mukul Roy sacrificed Sarkar to save himself from being charge-sheeted and also, is there a deep-rooted understanding between Roy and the Trinamool Congress party. Also, is Roy staying back in the BJP and acting against its interests or is it the greatest of all the balancing acts Bengal politics has ever seen.
