<p><strong>Kolkata:</strong> The National Investigation Agency arrested TMC leader Chhatradhar Mahato over the case of a CPI(M) leader's killing in 2009.</p> <p>The arrest happened soon after Mahato cast his vote in Lalgarh during the first phase of polls in West Bengal, a senior official informed on Sunday.</p> <p><strong>ALSO READ | <span style="color: #e03e2d;"><a style="color: #e03e2d;" href="https://ift.tt/3w4a9A3 Injured As Under-Construction Flyover On Gurugram-Dwarka Expressway Collapses</a></span><br /><br /></strong>Hours after voting, Chhatradhar Mahato was nabbed from his residence in Jhargram district by an NIA team comprising of 40-45 personnel late on Saturday.</p> <p>"He was arrested in connection with the 2009 killing of CPI(M) leader Prabir Mahato. He has been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. We will produce him at a city court on Sunday," the NIA official said as quoted by PTI.</p> <p>Mahato was formerly a convenor of the Maoist-backed People Against Police Atrocities (PCPA).&nbsp;The Calcutta High Court had recently asked Mahato to appear before the NIA thrice a week to assist the probe of the case.</p> <p>The TMC leader had earlier served a 10-year jail sentence for his involvement in a landmine blast triggered by Maoists in Salboni in 2008. The blast was aimed at the convoy of the then West Bengal CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharya and former Union minister Ramvilas Paswan.</p> <p><strong>More About The Case&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>It is alleged that in 2009, TMC leader Chhatradhar Mahato and his associates tried to hijack Rajdhani Express by firing- an attempt that went on for about 4 to 5 hours. He was arrested and was charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. In May 2015, the Medinipur district court convicted Mahato and sentenced him to life imprisonment.</p> <p>After his release from prison in February 2021, he was appointed as an office-bearer of the Trinamool Congress. Currently he is seen as the face of the tribal community within TMC.</p> <p>Mahato is also a member of the core state committee of Mamata Banerjee and the arrest is being seen as a blow to Trinamool amid fierce election faceoff with BJP.</p>

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