Suspected JeM operative arrest leads Bengal STF to Jharkhand woman gathering info on politicians
West Bengal Police have arrested Arpita Sarkar in Jharkhand for her alleged involvement in a honey-trap network linked to a suspected Jaish-e-Mohammed operative. The investigation suggests the module was gathering intelligence on political figures and planning potential terror activities.
Why it matters
The arrest highlights ongoing national security concerns regarding intelligence gathering and recruitment by terror-linked networks in India.
The West Bengal Police's Special Task Force (STF) has arrested a woman from neighbouring Jharkhand in connection with its investigation into suspected Jaish-e-Mohammed operative Mohammad Hamim Mondal, who was nabbed from Bardhaman town , officials said on Saturday.
The woman, identified as Arpita Sarkar, was arrested from Sahibganj district of Jharkhand on Friday (July 31, 2026), they said.
Sarkar, a resident of the Barharwa area of Sahibganj, was allegedly in regular contact with Mondal through WhatsApp, officials said, adding that chats between the two had been recovered during the investigation.
The STF arrested Mondal from his rented apartment at a housing complex in Bardhaman town on Thursday. He is suspected to be part of an ISI-backed network tasked with collecting intelligence on VIPs, including BJP leaders, recruiting operatives and laying the groundwork for possible terror activities in the State, they said.
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