- Mohammed Hashem Mallik, a Bangladeshi criminal, was arrested in West Bengal posing as a monk
- Mallik had been residing in Nadia district, West Bengal, for the past 30 years
- He is wanted in multiple criminal cases in Bangladesh and fled to India to avoid prosecution
A Bangladeshi criminal, who had been hiding in West Bengal under the guise of a monk, was arrested on Saturday night - bringing out similarities straight out of the Bollywood movie 'Jolly LLB'.
Mohammed Hashem Mallik had been living in Bengal's Nadia district for the last 30 years, officials said.
The 60-year-old man, also known as Hashem Ali Mallik, is wanted in many criminal cases in Bangladesh.
A manhunt was underway to arrest Mallik after Sub-Inspector Mohammed Abdun Noor Chowdhury of the West Bengal Special Task Force (STF) had filed a complaint, triggering an investigation. Acting on a tip-off, the STF and the local police conducted a raid in the Tehatta area and arrested him.
During preliminary investigation, Mallik admitted that he had crossed the border to escape legal proceedings in Bangladesh for the crimes he committed there, police sources said.
The accused has been sent to a three-day police custody.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) blamed the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool government for making the state a "safe haven" for terrorists.
"Bengal has become safe haven for terrorists. They are trying to make it Bangladesh. Mamata Banerjee's police did not know about this? What was their intelligence unit doing? Such cases show why Mamata Banerjee does not want Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bengal. It is to shield its vote bank," BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul said.
