Trinamool national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee
Credit: PTI File Photo
Kolkata: A man who had been in touch with the 26/11 plotter David Headley has been arrested by a special task force of Kolkata Police for allegedly conducting recce around the residence and offices of the Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee.
Rajaram Rege’s arrest from Mumbai was revealed by Kolkata Police on Monday – a day after the TMC supremo and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of targeting and trying to harm her and her nephew Abhishek, the national general secretary of her party.
The TMC linked Rege’s activities during his visit to Kolkata with the state BJP heavyweight Suvendu Adhikari’s claim on Saturday that a political explosion would rock the party led by Banerjee.
“It shouldn't be difficult to put two and two together – the BJP is playing a dangerous game. It's no stretch to suggest that they're planning an attack on top opposition leaders!,” said Chandrima Bhattacharya, the chief of the women’s wing of the TMC.
Abhishek is seen as the heir apparent of Banerjee and the second-most powerful person within TMC's rank and file after the Bengal CM. “The facts presented today show that this is what Suvendu Adhikari was speaking about. Or else, why would the recce be carried out in front of Abhishek Banerjee’s residence? Accused David Hedley had confessed in court that Rajaram Rege worked and spoke with him. A plan is being hatched to harm our leaders just like the 26/11 attack,” said Bhattacharya.
Headley had met Rege during one of his scouting trips to Mumbai to identify targets for the Lashkar-e-Tayyiba’s November 26-28, 2008 terror attacks in the capital of Maharashtra.
Rege tried to call Abhishek and his aide after obtaining their phone numbers, an officer of the Kolkata Police said on Monday.
“Our officers arrested Rajaram Rege from Mumbai today. He had visited Kolkata, stayed here, and conducted a recce of TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee's offices and residence. He obtained the mobile phone numbers of Banerjee and his PA (personal assistant) and tried to contact them,” said the officer.
Rege stayed at a hotel in Kolkata's Shakespeare Sarani area before returning to Mumbai. He is likely to face charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including criminal conspiracy and criminal intimidation.
The 26/11 terror attacks had left 166 killed and countless others injured.
Headley, who helped the LeT plan the attack, had managed to travel to New Delhi in March 2009 without raising a red flag in the radars of the security agencies. He had been arrested by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation from Chicago in 2009.