The accused, identified as Mohammad Hamim Mondal, allegedly also had links to Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence and had been assigned to monitor senior political leaders.

Key Points

• Mohammad Hamim Mondal was arrested from Purba Bardhaman district earlier this week by the West Bengal STF.
• He allegedly planned to procure a police uniform to infiltrate and sabotage the CJP protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.
• Officials say Mondal had links with Pakistan's ISI and was acting on their instructions.
• He was also allegedly tasked with monitoring the movements of West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari.
• An associate, Arpita Sarkar, was separately arrested from Jharkhand over an alleged honeytrap and extortion conspiracy.

The Sabotage Plan

IG (Special Task Force) Gaurav Sharma told a press conference in Kolkata that Mondal had planned to somehow procure a police uniform and carry out sabotage at the recent student protests at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. He said several police officers and politicians were also planned targets. According to investigators, Mondal's handlers in Pakistan instructed him to enter the protest site disguised as a police officer and create unrest.

Surveillance on Suvendu Adhikari

Beyond the Jantar Mantar plot, officials said Mondal had been assigned to monitor the movements of West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and to gather information about locations where the leader might have reduced security cover. This surveillance task, according to the STF, formed part of a broader intelligence-gathering operation directed by his Pakistan-based handlers.

The Honeytrap and Extortion Angle

Mondal's associate, Arpita Sarkar, was arrested from Jharkhand a day before his own arrest. Officials allege the pair were involved in a separate conspiracy to honeytrap and abduct the son of a state minister, Umesh Ray, in order to extort money from the family. Investigators say Sarkar used social media platforms to gather sensitive information from politicians and prominent individuals before passing it on to Mondal, and that her WhatsApp conversations revealed connections with Pakistan-based operatives.

Evidence Recovered

The STF recovered international SIM cards issued in the United Kingdom and Mexico during the investigation, which officials suspect were used for encrypted communications with handlers based in Pakistan. The recovery points to a wider network potentially spanning multiple countries used to coordinate the alleged plot.

FAQ

Who was arrested and where?
Mohammad Hamim Mondal, arrested from Purba Bardhaman district in West Bengal by the state's Special Task Force.

What was he allegedly planning?
To disguise himself as a police officer and infiltrate the CJP-led protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi to create unrest, while also monitoring Suvendu Adhikari's movements.

Who else was arrested in connection with the case?
Arpita Sarkar, an associate arrested from Jharkhand over an alleged honeytrap and extortion conspiracy involving a state minister's son.

What's Next

Investigators are expected to continue probing Mondal's alleged links with Pakistan's ISI and the broader network behind the plot, including tracing the international SIM cards recovered during the operation.