Investigators into the Vedic Village violence case have found that Gaffar Mollah, one of the prime accused and now in police custody, used to enjoy an exclusive air-conditioned chamber for his stay in the resort. The facility was provided allegedly by the Vedic management who used to take Gaffar’s servics in forcible acquisition of land. The chamber has been searched by the police in the last two days. 

Gaffar used to meet another accused Azizul Islam aka Khude — the brother of Trinamool MLA Arabul Islam and now absconding —in the chamber. Biplab Biswas, an official of the Vedic Village also used to be present during meetings to finalise the deals, said a police officer associated with the case. Villagers were often summoned to the chamber and Gaffar allegedly forced them to sell their lands to the Vedic Village authority. Investigators have reports that resort owner Raj Kishore Modi also used to visit Gaffar’s office occasionally.

According to police sources, Gaffar had invested around Rs 15 Lakh in fish ponds, besides substantial money in real estate. “Gaffar has fish ponds in Haroa, Barasat and Kharibari in North 24-Paraganas and links with several real estate developers in the city. Khude used to introduce interested buyers of land to Gaffar for chalking out deals,” said the officer.

“Khude had been running a land syndicate in Rajarhat for executing land deals since 2006. Anybody wanted to purchase land had to contact the syndicate first and then proceed for the deal. We have come to know that Rano, arrested with Gaffar, was a CPM supporter, but later joined Trinamool,” added the officer.

... contd.