Kolkata, Sep 19 (PTI) An Independent candidate for the Rejinagar Assembly bypoll in West Bengal was arrested on Saturday in a five-year-old case of a clash between two groups during the 2021 state elections, police said.
The arrest of Saiful Islam, who is associated with the Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) led by Humayun Kabir, came a day after police nabbed the Congress’ Nandigram Assembly bypoll candidate Milan Pradhan in an almost two-decades-old case registered during agitation against land acquisition in the region.
The two bypolls slated for October 6 were necessitated after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari vacated Nandigram, which he had won alongside Bhabanipur, while Rejinagar fell vacant after Kabir retained Nawda upon winning both seats in the 2026 Assembly elections.
The AJUP has fielded Kabir’s son Golam Nabi Azad for the Rejinagar bypoll.
“Officials from Berhampore police station arrested Saiful Islam in connection with a case dating back to the previous Assembly election, when a clash had broken out between two groups,” a police officer told PTI on the condition of anonymity.
He said Islam was named in the case.
Interestingly, the Baharampur police on Saturday sent a notice to the AJUP chief, directing him to appear before investigating officers on Monday in a case registered over an alleged conspiracy to foment tension between two communities.
A senior officer said the case was registered on September 14 after police recently released an audio recording during a press conference in Berhampore. Police claimed the conversation indicated a possible conspiracy to instigate tension between two communities.
Police also arrested AJUP state secretary Ashik Iqbal on Friday during vehicle checking at a police picket in Murshidabad district with a large quantity of fake currency and illegal arms, officials said. Another person travelling with Iqbal has also been arrested, they said. PTI SCH NSD
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.