BJP’s Bengal unit president Sukanta Majumdar claimed on Thursday that the mystery behind Sandeshkhali’s fugitive Trinamul leader Sheikh Shahjahan will be revealed in 72-hours.

“In 72-hours we will get to know if Shahjahan has been arrested or not,” Majumdar said on the way to Basirhat, North 24-Parganas.

The state BJP is prepared to pile the heat on the ruling Trinamul whose most prominent leader from this part of Sundarbans has been in hiding since January 5. The party also announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be visiting Bengal soon.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Bengal March 6 and address a public meeting at Barasat. If the victims (of alleged Trinamul atrocities in Sandeshkhali) want to meet the prime minister, we will make arrangements,” Majumdar said.

Ever since the women of Sandeshkhali came out on the streets to demand the arrest of Shahjahan, the local Trinamul organisation and a zilla parishad functionary, the demands for his arrest have grown louder.

On Tuesday, the Calcutta High Court too had wondered if he was being “sheltered.” The high court has scheduled a hearing on Monday, February 26 on the Sandeshkhali case, where counsels of the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate have also been instructed to be present.

The presence of acting director general of police Rajeev Kumar in Sandeshkhali since Wednesday has led to speculation of Shahjahan’s arrest. "I heard the DGP was here. I wanted to meet him and ask why Shahjahan has not yet been arrested. But I heard he has already left for Calcutta,” said Majumdar.

Kumar along with the ADG (South Bengal) Supratim Sarkar and Basirhat SP Hossain Mehdi Rahman were in Sandeshkhali since Wednesday.

“Those who have committed any crime will be arrested. No one is going to be spared,” Kumar said. “We were here to listen to the complaints of the people.”

The BJP is trying to keep alive the Sandeshkhali issue and turn it into the main poll plank in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

“The Prime Minister will definitely speak on how unsafe Bengal has turned for women under the Trinamul rule,” said a state BJP functionary.

On Thursday, the BJP released a documentary on its X handle titled, The Big Reveal: The Sandeshkhali Shocker, to attack the Mamata Banerjee government.

“A truth that’ll shock us. A truth that’ll pain is. A truth that’ll shake our conscience. The truth of Sandeshkhali that Mamata Banerjee is trying to hide,” the BJP wrote in its social media handle, along with the video link.

The leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, who could finally set foot in Sandeshkhali on Tuesday, is expected to visit the Jelliakhali island on Monday.

BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari arrived in Sandeshkhali in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on February 20 after getting permission from the Calcutta High Court. Videograb

Later on Thursday evening, Majumdar squatted in front of the Sandeshkhali police station when he wanted to enter the premises with questions about the fugitive Shahjahan.

Around 6.30 pm, Majumdar was forcibly lifted from the spot by the cops and taken to the Sandeshkhali jetty where he was put on-board a police boat.

Bengal BJP president on board a police ferry on Thursday evening. He was arrested from in front of the Sandeshkhali police station and later released on personal recognizance bond. File photo

“The Inspector-in-charge’s call records for the last three months should be checked. Then Shahjahan’s whereabouts will be found,” Majumdar said after he was dropped off the boat at Dhamakhali. “I wanted to sit in protest outside the police station for the whole night, but the police forcibly removed us. We will continue to speak for the people of Sandeshkhali.”