Kolkata, 23 May (H.S.): The police in North 24 Parganas district have arrested six persons, including alleged All India Trinamool Congress leader Shankar Raut, in connection with a case involving extortion, assault, criminal intimidation, and alleged misconduct with a woman in the Baranagar area.

According to police sources, information about a disturbance near a hospital complex in Baranagar was received at around 10:30 p.m. on Friday. Police personnel rushed to the spot and detained six individuals, who were later formally arrested and taken to Baranagar Police Station.

A woman resident of the Banhugli area lodged a written complaint against Shankar Raut and his associates. In her complaint, she alleged that the accused demanded Rs 50,000 from her and assaulted her after she refused to pay the amount. She further claimed that she was beaten with the butt of a firearm and subjected to inappropriate behaviour.

The complainant also alleged that the accused took Rs 10,000 from an almirah inside her house and snatched a gold chain. She told police that the intervention of local residents may have saved her life.

Apart from Shankar Raut, police have arrested Arpan Dutta, Debjyoti Banik, Subal Dey, Debashish Das and Subrata Sarkar in connection with the case. Local sources claimed that all the accused are considered close to the Trinamool Congress.

Sources further alleged that Shankar Raut had faced accusations of extortion and assault in the past as well. His name had reportedly surfaced earlier in connection with an assault case involving a businessman in Barasat.

Local residents claimed that on Friday night the accused arrived near the hospital area in a vehicle bearing a “Police” sticker. It is suspected that a vehicle used by the administration during elections was being used with a police sticker attached to it.

The police have registered a case against all six accused under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. They were produced before the Barrackpore Sub-Divisional Court on Saturday.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey