Source TOI
KOLKATA — In a major breakthrough in the crackdown on an alleged Pakistan-backed terror network, the West Bengal Police’s Special Task Force (STF) has arrested a third suspect tied to primary operative Hamim Mondal.
The accused, identified as Aditya Singh (also known as “Raj” or “Raju”), was apprehended from Belilious Road in Howrah following specific operational leads. Investigators reveal that Singh served as a key local source for Mondal, gathering ground-level intelligence and conducting targeted surveillance.
Online Recruitment and Local Surveillance
According to STF officials, Singh was initially recruited by Mondal through an online gaming platform before being radicalized and drawn into the espionage ring. Investigators suspect Singh was specifically tasked with monitoring the movements of Minister of State for Urban Development Umesh Rai and his son, capturing photographs, and gathering personal details that were subsequently relayed to higher-level handlers.
Singh’s apprehension marks the third arrest in the expanding probe. The STF previously arrested primary suspect Hamim Mondal from East Burdwan, along with his associate Arpita Sarkar, who was picked up from Sahibganj in Jharkhand. Sarkar is allegedly linked to a honey-trap scheme targeting influential figures to facilitate potential abductions and extortion.
Connections to Pakistan Handlers
Preliminary findings indicate that Mondal maintained direct operational ties with Pakistan-based handlers linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and the ISI-backed Shehzad Bhatti network. The investigation revealed that Mondal was tasked with monitoring high-profile political figures across the state, including tracking vulnerabilities in the transit routes of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.
To evade security surveillance, the group frequently rotated their digital communications. Mondal initially utilized platforms such as Instagram, WhatsApp, and Telegram before shifting to blocked end-to-end encrypted applications like Element X and later Session. Intercepts recovered during the investigation show the use of coded terminology, such as “LMN 10” and “How’s the Josh,” to coordinate human movements and financial transfers.
Widening Investigation
The STF is currently analyzing nearly four years of digital logs, social media profiles, and financial transactions to map the full extent of the module’s presence across Eastern India. Senior officials stated that further arrests are expected as investigators continue auditing encrypted channels to identify other local assets and disrupt potential subversive plots in the region.
For visual context on the initial arrests and the unfolding investigation into the module, watch this news coverage on the Jaish-e-Mohammed Module Busted in Bengal. This report provides essential background on how the West Bengal STF uncovered the network’s local operations and arrested key associates.
