Terror Suspect Had Suvendu Adhikari On Target List, Tried To Disrupt Delhi Protest; Girlfriend Link Exposed Him
Terror Suspect Had Suvendu Adhikari On Target List, Tried To Disrupt Delhi Protest; Girlfriend Link Exposed Him Published By, Last Updated: August 02, 2026, 11:13
Terror Suspect Had Suvendu Adhikari On Target List, Tried To Disrupt Delhi Protest; Girlfriend Link Exposed Him Published By, Last Updated: August 02, 2026, 11:13 IST West Bengal STF says West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari was on a terror target list, reveals Jantar Mantar protest link and alleged honey-trap network in JeM probe. Bengal STF says suspected JeM operative allegedly gathered intelligence on VIPs; honey-trap angle and Jantar Mantar protest link under investigation. (Photos: PTI/Social Media) The West Bengal Police’s Special Task Force (STF) has revealed that West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari was allegedly among the targets of a suspected Pakistan-backed espionage network, even as investigators probe links between the accused and attempts to create disturbances during the students’ protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. The developments came a day after the STF arrested suspected Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) operative Mohammad Hamim Mondal from Purba Bardhaman district in Bengal and subsequently arrested a woman, identified as Arpita Sarkar, from neighbouring Jharkhand, in connection with the case. Addressing a press conference, STF IG Gaurav Sharma said the investigation had revealed that Adhikari figured on the alleged target list of Pakistan-based terror groups. “Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari was on the target list of Pakistan-based terror groups. The same network tried to create disturbances during the Jantar Mantar students’ protest. We have also seen that there are some police targets, some political targets and some important people who are being targeted in this case," Sharma said. ALSO READ | ‘Fear-Free Bengal’: Suvendu Adhikari Invites Taslima Nasreen To Visit ‘As Many Times As You Want’ He added that the two arrested accused had been produced before the Bardhaman court and that further interrogation was underway.
Investigation Points To Alleged ISI-Backed Espionage Network According to investigators, Mondal is suspected to be part of an ISI-backed network tasked with collecting intelligence on VIPs, including BJP leaders, recruiting operatives and laying the groundwork for possible terror activities in West Bengal. The STF has sought and obtained 14 days’ police custody to interrogate him over his alleged links with Pakistan-based handlers and the activities of the suspected network. Electronic devices, including an iPhone and other mobile phones recovered from him, were being forensically examined to reconstruct his communications and identify others linked to the module. Investigators believe Mondal came into contact with Pakistani handlers through social media around a year ago. During questioning, he allegedly disclosed that one online contact claimed to be associated with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), while others claimed links with the Shahzad Bhatti network. Police suspect that after being radicalised through encrypted online conversations, Mondal was allegedly tasked with building an espionage module in West Bengal, identifying recruits, monitoring politicians, bureaucrats and other protected persons, studying their security arrangements and passing information to handlers across the border. Authorities were also examining claims that he had been instructed to arrange weapons and identify vulnerabilities for future operations. Adhikari, Other VIPs Allegedly Under Surveillance Police sources said material recovered during the investigation indicated that information relating to senior political leaders had been compiled, prompting investigators to examine whether specific individuals had been targeted. Earlier, Suvendu Adhikari had described the case as “extremely sensitive" and said it had national security implications beyond West Bengal.
The BriefWire