Agartala: A day after the BJP Mandal president of Barjala Assembly constituency in West Tripura district was arrested for his alleged links with land mafia rackets, the Tripura Pradesh BJP on Sunday suspended him from the party.
According to an executive order issued by the BJP Tripura Pradesh unit, Rajib Saha has been placed under suspension with immediate effect.
“As per the direction of the Hon’ble State president, BJP, Tripura Pradesh, Rajib Bhattacharjee, MP (RS), Rajib Saha, president, 4-Barjala Mandal Committee of the Bharatiya Janata Party, is placed under suspension with immediate effect for his alleged involvement and arrest by police on January 24, in connection with criminal activities,” the order, signed by BJP General secretary Amit Rakshit, stated.
Saha was arrested on Saturday for his purported links with land mafia syndicates active in the area. Sources alleged that he misused his influential political position to exert control over land dealings within the constituency.
Police did not divulge details of the arrest. However, Saha was reportedly detained in the morning and kept at the Airport police station until late evening. A senior police official later confirmed that he had been arrested.
It is learnt that a police complaint against Saha was lodged by a judicial officer. The officer had reportedly visited Barjala to inspect a plot of land when Saha allegedly appeared at the site and misbehaved with the officer’s security personnel. The altercation reportedly escalated, with Saha accused of manhandling the security staff.
Rejecting the allegations, Saha claimed he was being falsely implicated.
“This is a conspiracy to keep a true soldier of the party away from his roots. All these conspiracies will fail, and I will come out clean,” he told reporters while being taken to the West Tripura district court on Sunday.
Saha was appointed Mandal president during the BJP’s recent organisational elections. He had earlier served as the Yuva Morcha president of the same Mandal.