Kolkata:

A man arrested in West Bengal on suspicion of terrorism was allegedly planning to target a senior political leader and enter the recent CJP protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, according to the Special Task Force (STF).

The accused, Hamim Mondal, was arrested from Purba Bardhaman district. Police claim he was linked to the Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).

The STF said Mondal was instructed by handlers based in Pakistan to enter the Jantar Mantar protest while wearing a police uniform and create unrest. He was also allegedly asked to gather information about the movements of a senior political leader and identify places where security was weak.

During questioning, investigators found alleged links between Mondal and several JeM handlers. A court has sent him to 14 days of STF custody.

His girlfriend, Arpita Sarkar, was arrested from Jharkhand. Police allege the couple was involved in a honeytrap and kidnapping conspiracy targeting the son of a state minister to extort money from the family.

Investigators believe they were acting on the instructions of Pakistan-based handlers linked to the Shahzad Bhatti gang.

According to the STF, Sarkar allegedly used honeytraps to collect information from several influential people, including politicians, and shared the details with Mondal. Police also claim her WhatsApp chats showed links to Pakistan.

The STF recovered international SIM cards issued in the UK and Mexico from the two suspects. Investigators believe these SIM cards were used for encrypted communication with their handlers and other members of the network.

Police also said that Mondal was allegedly radicalised through social media before coming into contact with Pakistan-based operatives.

Investigators suspect that individuals using the names “Rana,” “Uzair,” “Abid Jatt 333,” and “Hamad” were among the handlers linked to the Shahzad Bhatti gang, which is believed to be involved in radicalisation, terror recruitment, and narco-terror activities.

According to the investigation, Mondal and Sarkar met on Instagram and had been in a relationship for about four years. The STF first came across Sarkar’s social media account while investigating the alleged honeytrap case, which eventually led them to Mondal.

The investigation is still underway, and officials are trying to identify other members of the suspected terror network and its cross-border connections. Authorities have not shared further details because of the sensitive nature of the case.