Kolkata: The BJP government’s drive against corruption and deteriorating law and order in West Bengal has intensified significantly over the past week, with police and central agencies launching action against multiple Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders across various districts. More than 70 leaders, councillors and elected representatives have been arrested in connection with cases involving corruption, extortion, misuse of government resources, post-poll violence and intimidation.
#Watch: Baduria Municipality chairman & #TMC leader Dipankar Bhattacharya arrested after police recovered Rs. 80 lakh cash & bundles of government relief tarpaulins from a computer centre linked to him. Earlier, 4,000 government relief tarpaulins were seized from his party office… pic.twitter.com/HhXyclDzGT
— Pooja Mehta (@pooja_news) May 26, 2026
One of the biggest developments in the ongoing crackdown emerged from Baduria in North 24 Parganas, where Baduria Municipality chairman and TMC leader Dipankar Bhattacharya was arrested after police recovered nearly Rs 80 lakh in cash along with large quantities of government relief tarpaulins from properties linked to him.
Baduria chairman Dipankar Bhattacharya arrested after cash recovery
Police arrested Baduria Municipality chairman Dipankar Bhattacharya on the night of May 25 in connection with alleged financial irregularities. The action followed a series of raids at multiple locations associated with him, during which officials recovered around Rs 80 lakh in cash and thousands of government relief tarpaulins.
According to investigators, the cash was recovered from a computer training centre located adjacent to Bhattacharya’s residence. Officials claimed the centre was under his control and that he had access to its keys. The investigation later expanded after police seized government relief tarpaulins from a party office and a garden house near his residence in Ward No. 12 of Baduria Municipality. Sources said nearly 4,000 government tarpaulins have been recovered so far from the locations.
Residents alleged that TMC workers removed tarpaulins and other materials from the party office in vans before police arrived at the location. Locals also claimed that bundles of documents were burnt outside the office premises in an apparent attempt to destroy evidence. Police reached the area late on the night of May 24 after receiving specific information and conducted searches at the party office as well as a nearby isolated garden house, from where relief materials and other items were recovered.
Following the recovery, BJP workers submitted a formal complaint at Baduria police station, after which Dipankar Bhattacharya was arrested.
TMC labour leader Sheikh Wasul arrested over intimidation and fraud allegations
In another major action, police arrested Sheikh Wasul, president of a TMC labour union unit, during a late-night raid in the Laudoha area under the Durgapur-Faridpur block. Police sources stated that multiple complaints had been pending against him for a long time.
Residents accused Wasul of collecting money from people by promising jobs and using intimidation to maintain his influence in the area. He was also accused of attempting to influence voters and creating tension ahead of the Assembly elections.
Several residents had reportedly approached the police with complaints even before polling took place. After his arrest, Wasul, a resident of Rangamati in Durgapur-Faridpur, was produced before the Durgapur Sub-Divisional Court. His detention is being seen as part of the broader crackdown against TMC leaders following the political developments in Bengal.
Bidhannagar: Amit Chakrabarty arrested in assault and extortion case
The crackdown also extended to Bidhannagar, where TMC leader Amit Chakrabarty was arrested late on May 19. Considered a close associate of former Rajarhat-Gopalpur MLA Debraj Chakraborty, Amit reportedly wielded considerable influence in the Baguiati area.
Police acted after real estate businessman Kishor Halder filed complaints accusing him of assault, intimidation and wrongful restraint. According to investigators, the incident occurred on May 4 during a BJP victory procession organised by party supporters.
The arrest came shortly after Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation councillor Samaresh Chakrabarty was taken into custody in a separate extortion case involving the same businessman. Halder had earlier accused several TMC leaders of intimidation and demanding money.
Ranjan Poddar and other local TMC leaders arrested in extortion cases
Police action in Bidhannagar widened further with the arrest of Ranjan Poddar, councillor of Ward No. 34 and borough chairman of Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation. Poddar, considered close to former minister Sujit Basu, faced allegations from hawkers, transport operators and businessmen in Salt Lake, who accused him of extortion and intimidation.
After questioning him, the police formally placed him under arrest. His associate, Rana Haldar, was also arrested in connection with the same case. In separate extortion-related complaints, local TMC functionaries Soumik Das, also known as Raja, and Bijoy Rajbanshi were taken into custody as part of the ongoing operations.
These arrests have intensified focus on Bidhannagar, where several leaders associated with the previous municipal administration are now facing investigation and legal scrutiny.
Former minister Sujit Basu arrested by ED in municipal recruitment scam
The most prominent political figure to face action in the ongoing crackdown is former West Bengal minister Sujit Basu. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested the former Fire and Emergency Services minister in connection with the South Dum Dum Municipality recruitment scam.
According to ED officials, Basu allegedly recommended nearly 150 candidates for municipal jobs in exchange for monetary benefits. During the investigation, the agency reportedly traced multiple properties, including flats, allegedly linked to irregular municipal appointments. Investigators also claimed to have found substantial cash deposits in bank accounts connected to him.
The arrest followed more than ten hours of interrogation by ED officials. Investigators stated that the alleged irregular appointments took place between 2014 and 2016, when Basu was serving as vice-chairman of South Dum Dum Municipality.
The ED believes that close to 1,000 appointments across 17 municipalities were made illegally during that period. The case has been registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Sujit Basu, who recently lost the Bidhannagar Assembly seat to the BJP by a margin of over 37,000 votes, became the first former minister to be arrested after the BJP government assumed power in Bengal.
Arrests spread across multiple Bengal districts
The anti-corruption and law-and-order crackdown has now expanded across several districts in West Bengal. On May 23 alone, police arrested 17 TMC leaders from different parts of the state. Among them were Kolkata Municipal Corporation councillor Sudip Polle from Ward No. 123 and Bidhannagar councillor Samrat Baruah, who is facing extortion-related allegations. In Howrah district’s Jagatballabhpur area, gram panchayat deputy president Gurupad Majhi and his brother Raju Majhi were arrested in connection with post-poll violence cases related to alleged attacks on BJP workers after the 2021 Assembly elections. In Hooghly district, Dadpur panchayat member Altab Hussain Malik was also arrested in another post-poll violence case. Meanwhile, in Konnagar, municipal councillor Bablu Pal, also known as Khokhan, was arrested over allegations of illegally occupying government land for party offices, operating unlawful businesses and preparing forged land documents. The operation reportedly took place in the presence of BJP MLA Dipanjan Chakraborty.
In Nadia district, TMC leader Ramzan Ali Mondal was arrested following complaints from local residents accusing him of intimidation, forcing contractors to purchase construction materials through his syndicate network and operating an unofficial parallel system in the locality. His associate, Pradeep Santra, was also arrested in the same case.
Murshidabad strongman Abu Bakkar was arrested during a special police operation in connection with an attempted murder case. In Paschim Bardhaman, panchayat member Sheikh Kamruddin was taken into custody over allegations linked to election-related violence, corruption and extortion. Similarly, in Dinhata of the Behar region, panchayat deputy president Bhavranjan Barman was arrested after allegations that BJP worker Ajay Adhikari was taken to a party office, assaulted and allegedly pressured to pay Rs 50,000.
With more than 70 arrests reported within a single week, the BJP government’s anti-corruption campaign in Bengal has widened far beyond recruitment scams and now extends to municipalities, local bodies and grassroots political networks, placing several TMC leaders under investigation across the state.
