NIA arrests Ex-MP Aparupa Poddar's husband in 2023 Ram Navami riots case

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday arrested Trinamool Congress councilor Shakir Ali in connection with the 2023 Ram Navami riots case. Shakir Ali is the husband of Aparupa Poddar, the former Trinamool Congress Member of Parliament (MP) from Arambagh. The arrest comes after a three-year-long investigation by the central probe agency into the communal clashes and unrest that took place during the festival.

An NIA team, accompanied by a contingent of central paramilitary jawans, reached Ali's residence in Rishara on Tuesday afternoon. The security forces cordoned off the entire house, which served as the primary target for the operation. Central investigators entered the premises and subjected the local councilor to a round of questioning before formally taking him into custody.

Following the interrogation, the NIA officials executed the arrest and escorted Ali out under heavy security cover. The central agency's direct intervention marks a major development in the ongoing legal proceedings surrounding the Rishara violence case. Further updates from the central investigators regarding his custody and legal production are awaited.