Main accused Ganesh held

Police said they did not disclose the arrest till Sunday night as they were working to ascertain his identity.

An Indian passport was recovered from his possession. He will be brought to Khulna today or tomorrow for further interrogation.

Ganesh Banerjee, 32, son of NAP (Bhasani) leader late Kalidas Banerjee of Kachua upazila of Bagerhat district, is an 'operation commander' of Janajuddho faction of PBCP in charge of Khulna city. He is younger brother of Khulna Jatiya Party (Ershad) leader Babu Shubash Banerjee.

According to the charge sheet of the case, Ganesh is the principal accused, who allegedly threw two bombs at Manzurul Imam near his residence at Shamsur Rahman Road in Khulna sadar thana in the morning of August 25 in 2003. The AL leader died on the spot.

A most wanted listed terrorist of the south-western region, Ganesh is an FIR - named accused in 12 murder cases lodged with different police stations in Khulna and Bagerhat, police said.

He fled the country soon after killing Manzurul Imam and returned to Dhaka from India last week.

Police said Ganesh at first identified himself as Subrata Banerjee, who is his younger brother. But during interrogation and on recovery of his passport, he disclosed his real identity.

Sub Inspector Shajahan Molla of Khulna police station went to Dhaka Sunday night to bring the outlaw to Khulna.

OC of Khulna police station Abdul Hamid admitted the arrest of notorious outlaw Ganesh Banerjee.

Shukur Gazi, one of the six chargesheeted accused in Manzurul Imam murder case, in his confessional statement under in CMM court on September 2, 2003 said Ganesh was the ringleader of the mission that killed the AL leader.