Arjun Singh alleges: CID tracked Manish Shukla & my movement; he was murdered by Trinamool Congress in collusion with cops

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Barrackpore Arjun Singh on Tuesday at a press conference alleged that the state’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was keeping a track of his and Manish Shukla’s movement on Sunday. He also alleged that the murder plan was executed by the Trinamool Congress in collusion with the cops, and the arms used for the killing Shukla were of a make used by the police.

BJP leader Manish Shukla was shot dead on Sunday evening near the Titagarh police station. He was close to MP Arjun Singh and they had travelled to Howrah district on Sunday and were returning together to Barrackpore area in the evening. Arjun Singh said that on the way he had called senior BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya who asked him to meet him later that evening, so he headed towards central Kolkata, while Manish Shukla returned to Titagarh. “While I was in a meeting at the hotel and was having coffee, I received the news of the attack on him. Had I not headed towards Kolkata, I would have been attacked,” Singh said.

He added that some CID officers were monitoring their movements from the Bhawani Bhawan office, and some proof had been collected by the BJP on this. “Some CID officers have themselves leaked this information to us. We will appeal to the High Court and Supreme Court if required, for the probe to be take over by the CBI. Once it goes to the CBI, we will hand over the proof to them,” Singh said.

The BJP MP also alleged that the arms used to kill Manish Shukla were of the make used by police. “I have looked up the details, and these arms cannot be accessed by those outside the police force,” he said.

Two persons, Khurram and Ghulab Sheikh, were arrested by the CID – that is conducting the probe – in connection with the murder. Arjun Singh on Tuesday said that both the arrested persons have links with Trinamool Congress, and he showed photographs of Trinamool leaders with the arrested persons. Meanwhile, an FIR filed by the family of Manish Shukla named Trinamool Congress leaders – municipal administrators in Titagarh and Barrackpore areas, Prashanta Chowdhury and Uttam Das. Both have said that this is the BJP ploy to make allegations against the Trinamool Congress as BJP is gradually losing ground in the area.

Police officials did not want to comment on Arjun Singh’s allegations immediately. They said that the probe is covering all possibilities. The Trinamool Congress has alleged that inner party feud had led to the murder. The state police on Monday had also said that even the personal enmity angle is being probed as Shukla had been named as accused in murder and attempt to murder cases.