Kolkata, 20 May (H.S.) : After taking oath as Chief Minister on May 9, Suvendu Adhikari had promised a corruption-free Bengal. Within just 11 days of the new government assuming office, multiple police and central agency crackdowns across the state have led to the arrest of 13 senior leaders and individuals linked to the Trinamool Congress in various corruption, extortion, violence and recruitment scam cases.
According to administrative sources, the state police, Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have intensified operations against leaders facing allegations ranging from land scams and extortion to recruitment irregularities and post-poll violence. Former ministers, councillors, police officials and local-level leaders have all come under the scanner.
Among the latest arrests is that of Debraj Chakraborty, husband of former Rajarhat-Gopalpur MLA Aditi Munshi and considered close to TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee. He was reportedly detained on Tuesday from a hideout in connection with allegations of post-poll violence, murder and corruption.
On May 18, businessman Biswajit Poddar alias “Sona Pappu” was arrested after appearing before the ED office at Salt Lake’s CGO Complex along with his wife. Several cases, including land fraud and cheating, were pending against him. On the same day, Asansol TMC block president Raju Ahluwalia was also arrested on extortion-related charges.
Earlier, on May 17, Nadia district leader Smarajit Biswas was arrested on allegations of extortion. Former Dinhata municipality chairman Gourishankar Maheshwari and municipal employee Moumita Bhattacharya were also arrested in a building plan approval corruption case. Two others were additionally detained in related operations.
Former Deputy Commissioner Santanu Singh Biswas, whose name surfaced in the Sona Pappu case, was arrested by the ED on May 14 after prolonged interrogation. He had earlier approached the Calcutta High Court seeking relief after repeated summons were issued against him.
Murshidabad councillor Shantanu Majumdar was arrested on May 13 on extortion charges, while two more individuals were arrested by the CBI in a recruitment scam case on the same day.
One of the most significant arrests came on May 11, when former minister and senior TMC leader Sujit Bose was arrested by the ED in connection with the recruitment scam investigation. Investigators alleged that he had recommended nearly 150 candidates in exchange for money. He remains in ED custody.
The developments mark one of the most aggressive anti-corruption drives in recent years in West Bengal, with the newly formed administration indicating that no accused individual will be spared regardless of political stature.
Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh
