ISF MLA sent to police custody for six days, says ‘Trinamool ploy’

On January 21, as many as 16 people, including Siddiqui, were arrested and eight policemen sustained injuries in a clash between police personnel and ISF members after the latter refused to lift a road blockade in Esplanade area here. The ISF workers had put up a road blockade, protesting the attack on their workers allegedly by ruling Trinamool Congress activists in South 24 Parganas district’s Bhangar on January 21, and demanding the arrest of TMC leader Arabul Islam.

Initially, the Bankshall court sent him to police custody till February 1. Later, Siddiqui was sent to 14 days of judicial custody till February 15. On the same day (January 21), a complaint was registered at the KLC police station in connection with the vandalism incident in Bhangar wherein Siddiqui was accused of vandalising a TMC office in Hatishala, assaulting TMC workers and trying to create unrest in the area.

Even though his judicial custody did not come to end (February 15), police sought Siddiqui’s custody in connection with their investigation into the Bhangar incident, following which the Baruipur court sent him to police custody for six days.

When Siddiqui was brought to the Baruipur court, ISF supporters raised slogans outside the court premises.  Siddique alleged that the Trinamool Congress was “plotting against him out of fear of losing the panchayat polls”.

The MLA claimed that the ruling party feared a split in its vote bank, and thus, he was arrested.

“The ruling party’s vote bank is being destroyed, so they arrested me. But this fight will continue. Attempts are being made to keep me behind bars till the panchayat polls are over out of fear of being defeated,” he added.