The National Investigation Agency on Thursday filed a chargesheet against Trinamul leader Chhatradhar Mahato and 16 others in connection with the murder of CPM leader Prabir Mahato in Lalgarh in 2009.

The chargesheet has been filed in the city session’s court in Calcutta. According to the chargesheet, Chhatradhar was present at the site of the murder the day it took place.

The chargesheet has been submitted under multiple sections of the IPC and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). The NIA has prayed for Chhatradhar’s interrogation.

CPM leader Prabir was murdered in Lalgarh’s Dharampur on June 14, 2009. District police had started a probe. However, the NIA took up the case in April 2020 based on an order by the Union ministry of home affairs.

Chhatradhar was the leader of the People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities that spearheaded the movement against land acquisition by the then Left government. He was earlier chargesheeted by the NIA in a case related to the siege of Rajdhani Express at Jhargram in 2009.

In the 50-page chargesheet submitted in September 2021, the NIA had named 13 people, including deceased Maoist leader Kishenji and Chhatradhar’s brother Sasadhar Mahato, for masterminding the siege.

Prior to the 2021 Assembly polls, Chhatradhar was inducted into the Trinamul after he was released on bail. However, after the fourth phase of polls, he was arrested on the night of March 27 last year. Following the arrest, his family alleged that Chhatradhar was a victim of political conspiracy.