Constituent Assembly (CA) member from Sadbhawana Party Sanjay Sah aka ‘Sanjaya Takala’, who was accused of masterminding blast at Janakpur’s Ramananda Chowk two years ago that killed five persons, was arrested yesterday night.
During a press meet at district police office Dhanusha today, CIB chief SSP Uttam Kumar Karki said Sah was arrested after three months of rigorous search operation, though he has been refuting his involvement in the explosion.
The police had been on a lookout for Sah after Mukesh Chaudhary, nabbed by police for his alleged involvement in the blast, told the police that Sanjay Sah had masterminded the explosion.
A joint team of Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) and Nepal Police arrested Sah from Birgunj and was brought to Janakpur last night.
A case has been registered against Sah at Dhanusha District Court. Nepal Police sleuths were looking Sah as he was on their most-wanted list, after the court declared him absconding.
Sah was elected to the Constituent Assembly from Dhanusha Constituency-4.
Police claimed that their investigation revealed that Sadbhawana Party’s vice-chairman Sah had handed over the money to blast to Mukesh Chaudhary through Om Prakash Yadav. Police also said that they were in possession of a phone conversation between Sah and Mukesh Chaudhary regarding the blast.
According to the police, five persons including Mukesh Chaudhary, had carried out the blast on Sah’s directive. Five persons were killed and 31 were injured in the incident.
The court has already sent Mukesh Chaudhary and Akhil Janatantrik Tarai Mukti Morcha (Rajan Group)’s Ranjit Kumar Jha to jail.
Suresh Kumar Karna from Dhanusha, Ripendra Jha of Mahottari, Mukesh Kumar Karna of Dhanusha and Jay Prakash Chaudhary were directly involved in the blast and have been remanded to custody for interrogation.
All of them have admitted to carrying out the blast on the directive of Mukesh Chaudhary.
On April 30, 2012, the blast killed Ranju Jha, Suresh Upadhyay, Bimal Sharan and Jhagaru Mandal when a bomb went off at Ramanandan Chowk while they were staging a sit-in demanding a separate Mithila State.
Dipendra Das, who was injured in the incident, later succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment.
Sadbhawana Party general secretary Manish Kumar Suman condemned the government’s decision to arrest Sah without probing the case through a judicial panel. He claimed that person who have dragged Sah’s name into the case are of criminal background. Sah should not be victimised just on the word of a criminal,” Suman said, demanding a judicial committee to probe the alleged involvement of Sah in the case.
Meanwhile, CA secretary general Manohar Prasad Bhattarai today issued a notice informing the arrest of Sah. He said the information’ relating to Sah’s arrest has been conveyed to CA Chair also. According to the law CA chair has to be informed while arresting a CA member.
Police had issued arraet warrant on March 16 to Sah, who was also former state minister and lawmaker.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Uttam Subedi said they have supporting evidence, including a statement showing transactions between him and the executors, a recording of the phone conversation prior to the event.
Subedi also said the voice of one of the speakers on phone, who appears to be describing the bomb blast and the plan in detail, was ‘verified” to be that of Sah.