The Kolkata Police’s Special Task Force (STF) on Monday arrested Subrata Bayen alias Fateh Ali, a Bangladeshi “terrorist”, believed to be involved in several crimes in that country, including the grenade attack on a rally of Awami League leader and former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina that left 24 dead.

He was arrested from his house at Palm Avenue, close to the residence of Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.

On Interpol’s most wanted list, Bayen is accused of funding terrorist organisations and arms dealing in South East Asia, apart from the 2005 attack on Hasina’s rally. He is believed to have fled Bangladesh after the attack.

Bayen’s name, in fact, is part of the list of 23 Bangladeshi criminals who, according to Intelligence reports, took shelter in West Bengal and Tripura after the Bangladesh Police launched a massive manhunt for them.

Many of the fugitive dons like Bayen have started their own businesses in West Bengal and are owners of bheris (large fish ponds) or transport companies.

“We have reports that Bayen went to China a few days ago to expand his business and he came back to India via Nepal,” said Rajeev Kumar, Special Additional Commissioner, STF. After STF men raided his house today, Bayen initially claimed he was a trader, but reportedly confessed later to being involved in several cases in Bangladesh, including murder, extortion and kidnapping. He has been remanded to police custody for two weeks.