Man Arrested for Surveillance of Abhishek Banerjee’s Residence Following Mamata Banerjee’s ‘Not Safe’ Claim

Kolkata police arrested a man named Rajaram Rege for allegedly conducting surveillance, or a “recce,” of the residence and office of Abhishek Banerjee, a member of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. This arrest came shortly after Mamata Banerjee expressed concerns about her and her nephew’s safety.

Rajaram Rege, the arrested individual, is from Mumbai and is connected to a political party in Maharashtra. The police arrested him because he was seen taking an unusual interest in the locations related to Abhishek Banerjee and trying to contact him and his personal assistant by phone.

Authorities said Rege visited Kolkata from April 18 to 20 and stayed in the city during this time. The police have suggested that his actions could indicate a larger conspiracy, possibly one similar to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. The police are examining Rege’s reasons for being in Kolkata and how he managed to obtain Abhishek Banerjee’s contact information.

An additional concern is that Rege might have connections with David Headley, who was accused of planning the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. This connection has alarmed Kolkata police, prompting them to investigate any potential links to terror plots. The police are now looking into the documents that Rege used for traveling and gathering more information to understand the scope of this incident.

Given the nature of these developments, the authorities and senior leaders are taking this case very seriously. Derek O’Brien, a senior TMC leader, mentioned that this arrest might have prevented a significant attack. He stated that there is substantial evidence suggesting that Rege had approached other individuals who could be involved in this potential conspiracy.