Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata 

Kolkata, Jun 6: A police case has been filed against BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari and his brother for allegedly stealing relief material from a municipality office in West Bengal's Purba Medinipur district. The reported value of the relief material is said to be around several lacs of rupees. The case has been filed in the Kanthi police station in West Bengal.

A Kanthi Municipal Administrative Board member identified Ratnadip Manna, is the complainant in this case.

"On May 29, 2021, at 12:30 pm as per direction of Suvendu Adhikari and his brother and former municipal chief Soumendu Adhikari of Kanthi Municipality, Government tripal whose estimated value is around lacs of rupees, was taken away from municipality office godown by forcefully and illegally opening locks," read the complaint submitted by Ratnadip at the Kanthi police station on June 1.

The BJP has repeatedly accused the Trinamool Congress of siphoning off relief materials, but now the Adhikari brothers have been booked on this charge.

Ratnadip further pointed out that the BJP leaders used armed central forces deployed for their security in stealing the materials.

The case was filed on a day when Adhikari's close aide was arrested by Kolkata police in a fraud case. Back in 2019, the accused Rakhal Bera was arrested on charges of duping a person with the promise of a job in the ministry of irrigation and waterways. The complainant had alleged that he paid Rs 2 lac but did not get the said job.

Before joining BJP in December 2020, Suvendu Adhikari, was a cabinet minister in Banerjee's government. He currently serves as the leader of the Opposition in the state assembly. Adhikari had gained victory over CM Banerjee by around 1,200 votes in the recently concluded Assembly election in the Nandigram constituency.