Man Accused Of Murder During Bengal Post-Poll Violence Caught By CBI

An accused in the high-profile Abhijit Sarkar murder case, who was on the run for four years, has been caught by the Central Bureau of Investigation. Abhijeet Sarkar was among the 18 people who were killed in post-poll violence that ripped through Bengal in 2021.

Arun Dey had been evading arrest since the case was filed. Originally registered at a police station in Narkeldanga, the case was handed over to the CBI following an order from the Calcutta High Court. He was one of the 20 people named in the case. So far 15 accused have been arrested while five are still on the run.

In May 2021, Abhijit, a 35-year-old BJP worker, was dragged out of his home in north Kolkata and brutally murdered in broad daylight, allegedly by Trinamool Congress workers. The murder took place on a day of the high-stakes election in which the Trinamool retained power for a third term.

In his compliant with the police, Abhijit's brother Biswajit Sarkar had claimed more than 30 men had dragged his brother out of their home by wrapping cable wires around his neck. 

Arun Dey (below) had strangled him and smashed his head, the family had alleged 

"I don't know if my mother and I will get justice. It took the CBI four years to find one accused. There have been five Investigation Officers who have changed in-between," Biswajit Sarkar told NDTV.

"I have sat for hours in the CBI office begging for justice. I call the officer handling the case every week, hoping for some progress... In another six months, there will be assembly polls again in Bengal, but my brother's killers are still roaming free," he added.

Sources in the CBI told NDTV that Dey was changing his location often and was on the run. He was finally caught from his daughter's home. 

In a press release, the CBI stated, "The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), arrested the absconding accused in Abhijit Sarkar Murder Case, today i.e. 26.06.2026. He was absconding since the inception of the case and never joined investigation." 

Today, he was produced before a court in Kolkata and has been sent to judicial custody. Officials of the central agency confirmed that the investigation into the case is still in progress.