Kolkata, June 9 (UNI)In a significant development, Police arrested Trinamool Congress leader and former chairman of the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, Sabyasachi Dutta, in connection with an alleged extortion and criminal intimidation case on Monday night.
According to police sources, a businessman from Salt Lake lodged a complaint against Dutta, who is currently the councillor of Ward No. 31 of the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation.
The complainant alleged that he was being pressured to pay several lakh rupees and was threatened when he failed to meet the demands.
Acting on the complaint, officers from Bidhannagar North Police Station conducted a raid at Dutta’s residence in the Raigachi area of Rajarhat late on Monday night.
He was detained from his home and taken to the police station for questioning.
Sources said Dutta was interrogated for several hours before being formally arrested.
He is expected to undergo a medical examination on Tuesday morning and will subsequently be produced before the Bidhannagar court.
Dutta had contested the recent Assembly election from the Barasat constituency but was defeated by the BJP candidate.
His arrest comes amid an ongoing crackdown on alleged corruption and irregularities linked to functionaries of the previous state government.
Earlier on Monday, police arrested Jahangir Khan, popularly known as “Pushpa”, near the Nepal border.
According to sources, he was allegedly attempting to flee through the border route when he was apprehended by the State Police Special Task Force (STF).
The arrest of Dutta follows a series of actions against leaders associated with the former ruling dispensation.
Last month, former state minister Sujit Bose was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the municipal recruitment case.
Several councillors considered close to Bose were subsequently arrested by police in related investigations.
Police have not yet disclosed further details regarding the allegations against Dutta, and the investigation is continuing.
UNI SAG ARN