Enmity between brothers led to Kandu’s murder, says CBI

Kolkata: It was prolonged enmity between two brothers, Tapan Kandu and Naren Kandu, that led to the murder of the Jhalda municipality Congress councillor, CBI said in its charge sheet. A little more than two months after taking over the case, the agency submitted a 40-page charge sheet on June 13 in the Tapan Kandu murder case saying he was killed by contract killers hired by his brother.
Tapan’s wife Purnima had moved Calcutta High Court demanding a CBI probe. The HC ordered the investigation on April 4 and the agency began looking into the case two days later. It took into custody four persons arrested by the police — Tapan’s nephew Dipak and brother Naren, and contract killers Kalebar Singh and Ashik Khan. CBI later arrested Satyaban Pramanik—a group D employee of a high school in Jhalda. The charge sheet implicates all five.
The four-time Congress councillor of Purulia’s Jhalda municipality was shot on March 13. CBI, in its charge sheet, said the “motive behind the murder of Tapan Kandu resulted from a long standing family feud between him and elder brother Naren Kandu having separate political affiliation”.
In 2016, Naren’s wife Babi had lodged an FIR against Tapan and his wife Purnima with the Jhalda police. The next day, Tapan’s brother-in-law lodged an FIR against Naren, Babi and Dipak.
Both brothers joined politics and their enmity grew deeper. Naren was sure of son Dipak’s victory against Tapan in the municipality elections held on February 20 this year. He had even placed a bet of Rs 5 lakh with Pintu Chandra, a member of Congress. Tapan won the election and Naren lost the bet. Tapan’s wife Purnima also secured a victory from ward 12.
After the results, an enraged Naren got in touch with Pramanik, who contacted Md Ashik alias Basir Khan and asked him to arrange for a contract killer. Khan spoke to his old acquaintance Singh. Pramanik, Khan and Singh then went to a hotel in Jhalda and hatched a plan to murder Tapan. Naren agreed to pay Rs 7 lakh for the hit.
On the day of the incident, Singh came to the town along with two others on a motorcycle. They met Khan and headed for a pond near Jhalda-Bagmundi road. Tapan and his friends were returning home after a walk when the assailants stopped them and opened fire at the councillor.
Purnima said: “It is a partial charge sheet and CBI has asked for 90 more days. However, I am yet to see the charge sheet content. Even if the feud is within family members, it cannot be denied that the accused persons are leaders of Trinamool Congress. Moreover, Pramanik is not a family member and he is also a TMC worker.”