Pamela Drugs Case: BJP Leader Rakesh Singh Arrested In Kolkata

BJP leader Rakesh Singh was on Tuesday arrested by Kolkata police in connection with a drugs seizure case in West Bengal last week. Youth BJP leader Pamela Goswami, who was arrested for possessing 90 grams of cocaine, had alleged that Singh hatched a conspiracy to frame her and also named a senior BJP leader.

"I have been framed by BJP leader Rakesh Singh, who is close to a senior BJP leader. I want CID to probe this. I have all the evidence," Pamela said during interrogation.

According to NDTV, Singh was allegedly attempting to flee the state in a car. His two sons, Suvam Singh (25) and Saheb Singh (21), were also arrested for allegedly trying to obstruct the police from entering their residence for searching. They have been sent to the central lockup in Lal Bazaar.

Singh's sons said the police action against their father was politically motivated and vendetta.

"I don't know anything about Pamela Goswami and the drugs case. My father is not involved. He is being victimised, I don't know why," Saheb Singh said.

Singh was summoned by the Kolkata police under Section 160 CrPC after his name popped up during investigation. He told the police in writing that he would not be available citing commitment to the party. His petition against the summons was turned down by the Calcutta High Court.

Before joining BJP in March 2019, Singh was in the Congress and had contested the Assembly elections in 2016 from the Kolkata Port seat, but lost to Trinamool Congress. He has more than two dozen criminal cases against him and was one of the accused in the case related to vandalism of the bust of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar during Amit Shah's roadshow in May 2019.

Singh was produced to Alipore court today.

Earlier on Friday, Pamela Goswami was arrested by police after she was caught in possession of cocaine in Kolkata's New Alipore area. During the arrest, she was with a friend, identified as one Prabir Kumar Dey. They were apprehended while they were in her car with around 90gms of cocaine found in her handbag and other parts of the car.

Notably two years ago, Pamela's father had written to Kolkata Police Commissioner, the Joint Commissioner of Police and the Jadavpur police station, alleging that one of Pamela's friends, Prabir De, had allegedly exposed her to drugs. The police had kept a watch on the duo and arrested them on February 19 based on a tip-off.