Gangster Subodh Singh brought from Bihar jail to Bengal in dacoity, extortion cases

Kolkata: Suspected of running dacoity and extortion operations from his cell in Patna’s Beur Central Jail, gangster Subodh Singh was brought to West Bengal on Sunday in connection with several recent cases, officials of the state criminal investigation department (CID) said.

Singh was produced before the Asansol court in West Burdwan district where the CID prayed for his custody to carry out the investigations.

A North 24 Parganas district-based businessman, whose car was fired at from close range by two motorcycle-borne men on the busy B T Road on June 15, claimed that Singh called him at least seven times after the incident owning responsibility for the attack.

Ajay Mondal, the businessman, alleged that Singh, who has been accused of running inter-state extortion and dacoity operations from jail, called him even when he was giving his statement to the local police.

District police superintendent Alok Rajoria said after the incident that police had gathered vital information about the operation, but he did not name Singh.

“Singh said over phone that he saved my life, and he would protect me if I cooperated with him. The attack, he said, was a warning. He said if he wanted me dead then his men would have shot me 50 times inside my office,” Mondal, who runs automobile and real estate businesses, said on June 16. He also admitted having paid extortion money in the past.

Two days after this incident, another businessman allegedly received similar calls from Singh, police said.

CID officials said Singh is also a prime suspect in a series of dacoities at jewellery showrooms in the Bengal districts since last year.

On August 29, 2023, two showrooms of a well-known company were looted in Nadia and Purulia districts by gangs that operated almost simultaneously. Although the criminals managed to flee with a lot of gold jewelley at both places, the Nadia police acted within 10 minutes of the crime and nabbed four members of the gang who were carrying a part of the loot. They were all from Bihar.

Earlier this month, two showrooms of Senco Gold, a well-known company, were looted in West Burdwan and Howrah districts on June 10 and 11, respectively. One of the dacoits was injured while escaping when a police officer opened fire. He was arrested from Bihar.

Two small jewellery shops in Howrah and Hooghly districts were robbed between Saturday and Sunday morning as well, while Singh was being brought to Bengal. The dacoits, like the ones in the earlier cases, were speaking in Hindi and wore helmets to cover their faces, the shop owners told police.