Kolkata: A Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) councillor has been arrested on charges of extortion and corruption, marking the second such arrest involving a Trinamool Congress (TMC) representative within 24 hours.
The total number of Trinamool councillors of KMC to be arrested over corruption charges has risen to three, said the police on Wednesday.
According to a senior officer of the Kolkata Police, officers of Garfa police station arrested Arijit Das Thakur, a councillor of Ward Number 106 of KMC, on Tuesday night.
He was accused of extorting money from local promoters and businessmen by threatening them.
A written complaint was filed that he had been trying to extort money by influencing construction and business-related matters in the area for a long time. The police arrested him after the primary investigation revealed the truth. The officers of Garfa police station first summoned the councillor for questioning. Later, after a long interrogation, they arrested him.
Earlier on Tuesday, the police arrested Trinamool councillor Sachin Singh of ward number 36 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC).
According to Lalbazar (Kolkata Police headquarters) sources, there are allegations of extortion against the arrested councillor. On Tuesday afternoon, police personnel from Narkeldanga Police Station went to arrest Sachin. At that time, a section of local residents protested in front of his house. They alleged that Sachin was also involved in threatening and beating up opponents.
According to police sources, Sachin was accused of post-poll violence in 2021 after the state Assembly election results were declared. That year, he won the KMC elections on a Trinamool Congress ticket for the first time.
On May 23, the Thakurpukur police arrested Sudip Polle, a Trinamool councillor of Ward No. 123 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and Chairman of Borough No. 16, in an extortion case.
Since the BJP formed a government in the state, there has been a crackdown on illegal and criminal activities involving the Trinamool Congress leaders. The police have been active in taking action against anti-social elements and often acting against Trinamool Congress leaders, against whom allegations of breaking the law have been raised. In the last month, a large number of Trinamool councillors across the state have been arrested by the police across the state on charges of corruption and extortion.
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–IANS
