The TMC asserted that the CBI’s actions were intended to smear the party’s reputation amidst the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. On Friday, CBI conducted raids in several locations in West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali in connection with an attack on ED officers and discovered arms and ammunition, including foreign-made pistols.
In response to the discovery of weapons, the party accused the BJP of colluding with the CBI and NSG in a conspiracy.
“Today, i.e. 26.04.2024, is the day earmarked as the polling day for Phase II of the ensuing Lok Sabha Elections, 2024. More specifically in West Bengal, the electorate was scheduled to vote in three Parliamentary Constituencies, which are, Darjeeling, Raiganj and Balurghat. While elections were going on, the CBI deliberately carried out an unscrupulous raid at an empty location in Sandeshkhali. Media reports suggest that the CBI called in additional forces including the bomb squad of the National Security Guard (NSG). It has also been reported that arms and ammunition have been recovered from a house during such raid,” the statement read.
“In this regard, it is stated that though law and order’ is a domain falling completely within the ambit of the State Government, the CBI did not issue an actionable notice to the State Government and/or the police authorities before carrying out such a raid. Further, the State Police has a fully functional bomb disposal squad which could have assisted the entire operation, if the CBI indeed felt that a bomb squad was required during such a raid. However, no such assistance was sought by the CBI. It is further astonishing to notice that media personnel were already present during such the raid even before the State administration arrived at the spot. At such point in time, it was already nationwide news that weapons had been recovered during the raid. There is no way of knowing with certainty, as to whether these weapons were indeed recovered during the search and seizure procedure or whether they were surreptitiously planted by the CBI/NSG,” the statement added.
The TMC also stated that BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have “regularly targeted AITC” during its campaign trail vis-à-vis alleged crimes committed in Sandeshkhali.
“The CBI is controlled by the BJP through the Central Government… It is reiterated that in the absence of any representative of the State Government, the purported recovery of arms and ammunition is possibly a ploy employed by the BJP in conspiracy with the CBI and the NSG to plant such weapons at the site.” TMC said in the letter.
