A senior police officer said the probe into the cocaine case has led them to evidence that suggests an associate of BJP leader Rakesh Singh had promised Pamela Goswami and a man tickets in the upcoming Assembly elections if they paid Rs 2 crore each.
The officer of the city police said a purported meeting had been fixed between the two and a central minister who was in the city on Friday, the day Goswami, a leader of the BJP’s youth wing, was arrested for alleged possession of cocaine.
The police have contacted the man and prima facie found that his version matched that of Goswami regarding the promised ticket, a police source said.
The police on Wednesday submitted a prayer before court seeking permission to record the statement of the second “ticket aspirant” as one of the “prime witnesses” in this case, sources said.
If the prayer is granted, the person will have to appear before a magistrate and get his statement recorded under Section 164 of the CrPC — which is considered as “primary evidence” in court of law.
The police have submitted a similar prayer for recording the statement of another “witness”, whose identity has been kept under wraps for security reasons.
The police have yet to ascertain whether there had been any financial transaction over the promised ticket or whether the Union minister was aware of such an offer.
Asked about the alleged cash-for-seats offer, the Bengal BJP’s chief spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said: “It is a deep-rooted conspiracy by the police to project the BJP in a bad light ahead of the polls. The allegations are absolutely baseless. One doesn’t get tickets like that in the BJP. Election tickets aren’t sold in our party. There is a proper process. Moreover, why would we give tickets to any Tom, Dick or Harry.”
Along with Rakesh Singh, who has been booked for alleged direct complicity in the cocaine case, the police have arrested one of his suspected associates named Jitender Singh in connection with the case.
Jitender is suspected to be one of the two linkmen who had allegedly lured Goswami into believing that she was being taken to meet the minister. The other associate, who Goswami had purportedly said was inside the car but fled once the police arrived, was at large till late on Wednesday evening.
Rakesh and Jitender both were produced in the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Court in Alipore on Wednesday and remanded in police custody till March 1. They have been booked under the NDPS Act. If convicted, they can be jailed for up to 20 years.
Rakesh Singh’s son Subham outside a court in Alipore on Wednesday
Rakesh’s sons, Saheb and Subham, who were arrested for allegedly preventing public servants from performing their duty when the police had gone to search their Orphangunge house on Tuesday, were produced in another court in Alipore and granted bail against a personal bond of Rs 5,000 each.
Goswami and two others, who were arrested last Friday and are in police custody, will be produced in court again on Thursday. Sources said the police would again seek her custody so that she and Rakesh could be questioned together.
Rakesh Singh’s son Saheb
According to a statement by Goswami to the police, the man who was apparently taking her to meet the central minister had asked the driver to stop the vehicle on NR Avenue in New Alipore. The other person who was also allegedly promised a ticket was expected to join them there, the police said.
“The man who was apparently taking her to the minister was on the front seat of the car. Her (Goswami) statement mentioned that the moment they parked the car, the man stepped out on the pretext of calling up the minister’s personal assistant. She said he was speaking in his mother tongue and so she was unable to follow the conversation. Minutes later, the police arrived and this man fled, she has claimed,” said an investigator.
On analysing call details of the man (who is still at large), the police have found that he was speaking with Jitender Singh and not with anyone related to the minister.
Jitender Singh was arrested with Rakesh Singh on Tuesday night while the BJP leader was allegedly trying to flee to Bihar.
Rakesh Singh’s lawyers blamed the police in court for the “illegal act” of searching his home and arresting him when he was “ready to cooperate”. The prosecution said the fact that he was fleeing the city proved his complicity and involvement in the case.