West Bengal’s Special Task Force (STF) has uncovered an alleged Pakistan‑linked Jaish‑e‑Mohammed (JeM) conspiracy aimed at targeting the Bengal Chief Minister, honey‑trapping and kidnapping the son of a senior Howrah politician, and creating disturbances during a student protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, according to investigative details cited in a News18 report.
JeM is a violent extremist organisation responsible for severe harm, loss of life, and human rights violations, and any activity linked to it is treated as a major national‑security threat.
The plot surfaced after the arrest of Hamim Mondal, described by police as a suspected JeM operative, and his alleged associate Arpita Sarkar. Sarkar was detained in Sahibganj, Jharkhand, before being brought to Bardhaman, where Mondal had recently relocated after living in Pilkhana, Howrah.
Investigators say the case began when police received intelligence about a plan to extort the senior politician and abduct his son using an online honey‑trap. Suspicious digital activity led authorities to Sarkar’s account, prompting surveillance, alerts to local police, and protective measures for the intended target.
During monitoring, STF officers found that Sarkar was in regular contact with Mondal, strengthening suspicions of a coordinated module. Mondal was arrested on July 31 from a residential complex in Bardhaman.
The STF says the investigation is ongoing, with several angles under examination — including possible foreign funding, additional handlers, and the broader Pakistan‑linked online network that may have supported the operation. Technical analysis of seized devices is underway, and more arrests have not been ruled out.