Kolkata, September 18, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
A lower court in West Bengal on Friday remanded senior CPI (Maoist) leader Asim Mandal, alias Akash, Timir and Manoj, to police custody till September 29, a day after his arrest by the Kolkata Police Special Task Force (STF).
Mandal was arrested from Patashpur in East Midnapore district on Thursday.
During the court proceedings, the Kolkata Police STF told the court that around 55 cases were registered against Mandal across West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha. The Jharkhand and Odisha governments had announced a combined reward of Rs 2.2 crore for information leading to his capture.
“Akash is an active member of a banned organisation. His activities harmed the sovereignty and integrity of the state. He was also responsible for creating a cycle of illegal activities and sabotage involving the three states. He used to hide himself by frequently changing names,” the STF counsel told the court.
No bail application was filed on Mandal’s behalf.
His counsel, Yasin Rahman, said allegations of sabotage had been levelled against his client for decades. He argued that several people associated with the movement before 2011 had subsequently entered mainstream society and politics.
A native of Fulchak village under Chandrakona Police Station in West Midnapore district, Mandal is believed to have become involved in Left-Wing extremist activities during his student years in the 1980s. He later joined the People’s War Group and operated in Sarenga and Goaltor in West Bengal, besides Gurabanda in Jharkhand’s East Singhbhum district.
Security agency records cited in the case show nearly 55 serious criminal cases against him in the three states, including cases related to attacks on security forces and armed encounters in Jharkhand.
After the formation of the CPI (Maoist) in September 2004, Mandal returned to the Jangalmahal region covering parts of Bankura, Purulia and West Midnapore and became active in the outfit’s operations.
He was also associated with the Lalgarh movement and was made Secretary of the West Bengal State Committee in 2010. He later held key positions in the Bengal-Jharkhand-Odisha Regional Committee.
Police sources said the Maoist network in West Bengal suffered a major setback following the November 2011 encounter in which senior Maoist leader Kishanji was killed. Mandal subsequently went underground and remained elusive for years before his arrest on Thursday.
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