Kolkata, September 1 (IANS) West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party leader Rakesh Singh’s son has been arrested for allegedly aiding the escape of his father, who is accused of leading the vandalism at the state Congress headquarters, police officials said on Monday.
Police sources said that Shivam Singh provided logistical support and even used his car to help his father flee his house before the police reached their house to arrest the BJP leader.
Shivam Singh was to be produced at a city court where the police would seek his custody.
Meanwhile, Rakesh Singh’s daughter Simran Singh lodged a complaint at the Jadavpur police station, alleging that “miscreants in police uniform” had forcibly entered their home and kidnapped her brother.
However, the police have the claims, saying the arrest was carried out lawfully.
Following the arrest of his son, Rakesh Singh criticised the police on social media.
“My son was arrested after being harassed because the police could not arrest me. My wife and daughter went to my son’s house. There, the police also harassed them. I will approach the Calcutta High Court against my son’s arrest,” the absconding leader said.
On Friday, a group of BJP workers, led by Rakesh Singh, went on a rampage at the state Congress headquarters at CIT Road in central Kolkata, burning party flags and defacing posters of party leaders Rahul Gandhi and others, to mark their protest against alleged abuses hurled at Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Gandhi’s ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ in Bihar.
The party workers at first protested outside the party office ‘Bidhan Bhawan’, then they burnt Congress flags and tyres.
Later, the BJP workers went inside the Congress office premises, tore up their posters and banners and defaced photos of senior Congress leaders.
Following the incident, state Congress unit President Subhankar Sarkar demanded the immediate arrest of those who were involved in the attack.
Led by him, Congress workers also held a road blockade at Moulali Crossing to mark their protest against the vandalism.
The Kolkata Police, on Saturday, arrested three persons close to BJP leader Rakesh Singh in connection with the vandalism.
They were identified as Vijayprasad Dhanuk, Santoshkumar Rajbhar, and Dibyendu Samanta.
A police team also went to Rakesh Singh’s house on Saturday afternoon for an `investigation.
But the BJP leader was not found.
Police said the arrests have been made based on an FIR lodged by the Congress on Sunday against the attack and defacing of posters of Rahul Gandhi and other leaders.
–IANS
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