The government yesterday could not confirm the local media reports that police in the Indian state of West Bengal had arrested Shaekh Abdur Rahman, chief of banned Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), in 24 Parganas Sunday. Indian police, meantime, confirmed they had detained a man in West Bengal but did not say whether he was the hunted Bangladeshi militant kingpin, reports Reuters. State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar told reporters yesterday afternoon that he came to know of the developments from local newspapers. He said they are trying to be sure through the foreign ministry and diplomatic channels about what in fact has happened. But they have not got any such information confirming the reports yet.Two Bangla and an English daily yesterday reported that police picked up Abdur Rahman, supreme leader of the banned Islamist militant group responsible for countrywide bomb blasts since August 17, from a hideout in Barasat on Sunday. According to the media reports, the West Bengal police arrested Mohsin, an operative of the Islamist outfit, in the 24 Parganas a few days ago. Acting on information obtained from him, they conducted a raid in Barasat Sunday and arrested Rahman. The Indian authorities had taken him to New Delhi for interrogation, the reports added. "We have picked up a man on Sunday. We still are verifying the whole thing and who he is," Reuters quoted Inspector General of West Bengal police Raj Kanojia as saying over phone from Kolkata. The police officer said the man was held in a southern district in West Bengal on Sunday but he did not confirm his nationality.