West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh questions arrest of party leader Suprabhat Batyabyal in kidnapping case

West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh Monday wondered if the ruling TMC had "influenced" the probe in party leader Suprabhat Batyabyal daughter's kidnapping case and his colleague's subsequent arrest.

Suprabhat Batyabyal and two others were arrested in Birbhum district in the case following his daughter's rescue from Uttar Dinajpur on Sunday.

"We hope police would conduct an impartial inquiry to bring out the truth. But we have lot questions as earlier we have seen how the TMC (Trinamool Congress) and the state government had tried to influence the probe.

We wonder whether in this case too, the investigation has been influenced," Mr Ghosh said.

The Bengal BJP chief claimed that just after the incident took place, "local TMC leaders had started saying that the kidnapping was carried out by Batyabyal. How did they know it even before the investigation had started," he asked.

Batyabyal's daughter was "kidnapped" at gunpoint on Thursday.

The incident sparked tensions in Labhpur, with a mob attacking local TMC MLA Manirul Islam's vehicle and chasing him. The legislator had sought refuge in the local police station.

In a joint operation with Uttar Dinajpur police, a police team from Birbhum traced the 22-year-old woman to Dalkhola railway station area.

On Sunday, Birbhum Superintendent of Police Shyam Singh had said Batyabyal had roped in the two other persons, who were known to him, to carry out the "fake kidnapping".

-PTI