Police are looking into whether persons known to a Siliguri businessman were behind the ‘threat letters’ that at least four…
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Police are looking into whether persons known to a Siliguri businessman were behind the ‘threat letters’ that at least four leaders in the town have received. The letters, which threaten the leaders and their family members and demands Rs 5 lakh, have asked the recipients to deposit the cash in two bank accounts, the numbers of which have been mentioned in the letter.
Police, who are yet to find a lead in the case, have said that the bank accounts are genuine and they belong to a businessman in the town, but that the trader may have no links with the letters. The letter states that the name of the account holder is Surendra Kumar.
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“Persons known to the trader may have done this to tarnish his image or out of some personal enmity,” police sources said. “The offender has not only given the account numbers, but also mentioned the names of the banks. So it is likely that the person knows the account details and it is generally possible when somebody is close to a person.
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We are taking care so that any innocent person is not harassed during investigations,” said a senior police officer. Siliguri MLA and mayor Asok Bhattacharya, Matigara- Naxalbari MLA and Darjeeling district Congress (Plains) president Sankar Malakar, president of the Siliguri Organistational District of the BJP Pravin Agarwal and Trinamul Congress leader and former MLA Dr Rudranath Bhattacharya have so far received the letters between last Saturday and Monday.
Police had earlier suspected that mischief-mongers could be behind the entire thing. The name of the sender written on the envelope is Rakesh Kumar of Pradhan Nagar. The letters threaten to harm or kill family members of the leaders if the money was not transferred.
The leaders have also been warned against going to the police. Meanwhile, state tourism minister and Siliguri resident Gautam Deb said he was not aware if any such letter has been sent to his residence since he was in Kolkata right now. “Police are investigating the case,” Mr Deb said.
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