Police form special team to trace Badal Choudhury
Our Bureau
AGARTALA, October 18, 2019: Tripura police constituted a special team to trace PWD scam tainted CPI(M) leader Badal Choudhury who continuously remained untraceable. The 71 year old former Minister and Member of Parliament went into hiding after a court rejected his anticipatory bail application on Wednesday night.
Police teams supported by CID and Crime Branch officials raided scores of localities in Agartala and some in south Tripura district to track down Choudhury, but to no avail. Police conducted search in several private houses in Krishna Nagar locality in city on Friday evening.
Sources said Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb expressed his annoyance for failure of state police to capture the absconder in connection with Rs 600 crore scam had taken place in PWD in 2008. Choudhury was made key accused in the case relating to the state’s biggest financial scam.
The state government has taken tough stance on the police failures and initiated punitive action by suspending West Tripura Superintendent of Police Ajit Pratap Singh and removed DIG Arindom Nath. The government also enforced certain transfers in police brass and changed investigation officer.
Badal Choudhury’s lawyers approached High Court to bail out the leader. The matter has been listed for hearing on Monday next.
Choudhury is one of ten people held accused in Vigilance Department enquiry into alleged Rs 600 crore construction work scam in PWD had taken place in 2008. West Agartala Police Station registered the case under sections 409, 418, 420, 421 and 120(B) of IPC.