Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata
Kolkata, Jun 29: Three local leaders of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) have been arrested in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district on charges of allegedly extorting money from residents by promising access to government welfare schemes, police said on Monday.
The accused have been identified as Reshmi Piada, her husband Taimur Piada, and Abdur Razzak Halder. All three were arrested from their residences in the Mandirbazar area on Sunday night and are scheduled to be produced before the Diamond Harbour sub-divisional court. Police are expected to seek their custody for further investigation.
A senior officer of the Sundarban Police District said the arrests were made following complaints filed by local residents alleging large-scale extortion in the Krishnapur gram panchayat area.
According to investigators, the accused allegedly collected money from villagers by assuring them that they would secure benefits under various government welfare programmes. The schemes reportedly included housing assistance, old-age pensions, road development works and drinking water projects.
Police said several complainants alleged that they were asked to pay money through intermediaries, claiming that without such payments it would be difficult to have their names included in beneficiary lists or to obtain approval for development-related work.
A formal complaint was lodged last week, prompting the Mandirbazar Police Station to initiate an investigation. During the probe, officers allegedly uncovered the involvement of the three accused in operating an organised extortion network.
Investigators further claimed that the money collected from beneficiaries was routed through a structured channel to multiple levels, suggesting the existence of a wider network behind the alleged racket. The exact amount collected and the identities of other possible beneficiaries of the funds are being investigated.
Reacting to the arrests, local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kaushik Purkait alleged that the case reflected a long-running practice of collecting "cut money" from people seeking government benefits.
He claimed that many economically weaker families were forced to pay from their savings in the hope of receiving assistance under welfare schemes and said complaints about the alleged corruption had been repeatedly submitted to the authorities.
Purkait further demanded that the investigation should not stop with the arrests of local leaders and urged the police to identify and take action against all those allegedly involved in planning or benefiting from the extortion network.
Police said the investigation is continuing and further action will depend on the evidence gathered during custodial interrogation.