The Election Commission has taken action by suspending the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Kasba police station for failing to include Sona Pappu alias Biswajit Poddar’s name in the list of active criminals. This decision came after the Commission’s directive to prepare a list of absconding and declared criminals before the Assembly polls, which the OC did not adhere to. Sona Pappu, associated with a recent clash in south Kolkata, remains at large despite the Enforcement Directorate’s search of his residence, resulting in the recovery of about Rs 2 crore and other valuable items.
Several FIRs have been lodged against Sona Pappu, accusing him of extortion and criminal intimidation. The Enforcement Directorate sources revealed that he oversees multiple syndicates in Kasba and Ballygunge areas of south Kolkata. The Election Commission had instructed Sub-Divisional Police Officers (SDPOs) to ensure the execution of all non-bailable warrants and promptly compile lists of absconding and declared criminals, with special drives for their arrest. Additionally, the police were directed to issue lookout circulars if needed and maintain close coordination with neighboring police administrations.
Trouble-prone areas in all Assembly constituencies were to be identified by the OCs or Station House Officers (SHOs) of police stations, with a focus on individuals involved in past election-related crimes. The Election Commission had issued 16 directives to expedite investigations into previous election-related offenses, execute non-bailable warrants promptly, and prepare lists of absconding accused for necessary actions. The maintenance of peace during elections was emphasized through advanced precautionary measures.
