TMC Leader Sabyasachi Dutta Arrested In Extortion Case

Trinamool Congress leader and former Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) chairman Sabyasachi Dutta was arrested early on Tuesday from his residence in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district over allegations of extortion and criminal intimidation, police said.

According to PTI, the arrest was executed by the Bidhannagar police at Dutta’s house in Raigachi following a complaint by a local businessman. The complainant alleged that the former Bidhannagar mayor had demanded over Rs 1 crore from him in 2018, prompting law enforcement authorities to register a formal First Information Report (FIR).

Dutta, who unsuccessfully contested the Barasat seat in the 2026 assembly elections, has strongly denied the allegations. "If they can prove that I took even one rupee, I am ready to be hanged," Dutta told reporters while being escorted for a mandatory medical check-up following his arrest.

Before his formal apprehension, officers questioned the TMC leader at the Bidhannagar police station, after which he was produced before the Bidhannagar sub-divisional court on Tuesday. Aggrieved onlookers hurled eggs and tomatoes at the leader during his arrival at the court premises, PTI reported.

Dutta’s political career includes a stint with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which he joined in 2019 before returning to the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC a couple of years later. His detention follows the recent incarceration of former Bidhannagar MLA and state minister Sujit Bose by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a civic body job scam.

Reacting to the development, state minister Sharadwat Mukherjee commended the law enforcement action. "The pillars of corruption and arrogance are being arrested one by one," Mukherjee said, congratulating the Bidhannagar Police for their promptness. Reported PTI, the minister added that extortionists of the TMC era were being apprehended on a war footing.

(With inputs from PTI)