Police in Agartala on 1^st April arrested 2 party workers in connection with the recovery of contraband Phensedyl that happened during an intervention on 28^th and 29^th March.

A local court of Sepahijala sent two employees of Bishalgarh CPI (M) party office in connection with the recovery of contraband Phensedyl in the intervening night of March 28 and 29 last. Police yesterday arrested two workers of the party office, Dipankar Paul and Subir Chakraborty after beginning of the investigation into the case. The party leaders including former finance minister Bhanu Lal Saha was interrogated by police. Both the accused persons were sent to jail custody for two days and police was directed to submit case dairy. They will be produced before the sub divisional judicial magistrate tomorrow.

The victim families alleged that CPI (M) leaders have deliberately accused both the staffs to get rid of the case and said, “They have been working in the party office for long time and there was no allegation against them suddenly how they could be accused in Phensedyl dealing case.” However, Additional SP (Sepahijala) R Darlong today said that police is investigating in all angles and whoever is involved would be booked under law. He denied the allegation against police of maligning CPI (M) party and said, “Investigating crime is the primary responsibility of police without any fear and favour and police is doing it.”

He pointed out that the top police bosses have not spared office in-charge of Sonamura police station Dipak Das and second officer Syed Uddin for allegedly being involved in Phensedyl paddling racket in the bordering location. “We are committed to end up all kinds of drug paddling activities in the state,” Darlong added. A few bottles of contraband item were recovered within the premise of the party office during the search was carried out in the party office by the police following the complaint lodged by a group of people last week.
They alleged that CPI(M) party office was stored some contraband item and of arms and demanded to conduct search operation. The people gheraoed the office where top CPI (M) local leaders, including former finance minister Bhanu Lal Saha was inside.

“Initially, CPI (M) leaders objected in search operation but later agreed. During search police recovered bottles of Phensedyl in the office complex, mainly consumed for addiction by the youths and usually smuggled to Bangladesh,” ASP Darlong said. The leaders were confined inside the office for whole night during the search in presence of executive magistrate. In the early morning, police complete the operation and then the people free the office, officials said. The BJP has been demonstrating across the state demanding arrest of former finance minister Bhanu Lal Saha who is reportedly the custodian of the party office for storing contraband items and indulging anti-social activities under CPI (M) party banner.

BJP Tripura state media in-charge Victor Shome said that in past three weeks police seized sharp cutters, AK 47 bullets, contrabands and sticks from many of the CPI (M) and it’s trade union offices in different locations of the state, which is really concerning for the people of the state. “The seizure indicates that CPI (M) is in the process of continuing trouble to break the law and order of the state. We demanded DGP to conduct search operation in all the party offices of CPI (M) to ensure that there should not be any illegal item stored,” Shome added.