Ex-TMC MLA Sabyasachi Dutta held in Rs 1-crore extortion case, pelted with eggs and cow dung outside police station

KOLKATA: Former Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) chairperson Sabyasachi Dutta, who was also a Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA for two terms, was pelted with eggs, cow dung and tomatoes outside Bidhannagar North police station after he was arrested early on Tuesday on an extortion charge.

Police said Salt Lake-based businessman Madhusudhan Chakraborty alleged in his complaint that Dutta, who unsuccessfully contested the 2026 assembly polls from Barasat, had demanded Rs 1 crore from him in 2018, a part of which was subsequently paid.





“Dutta has been arrested based on that complaint,” an officer said. Dutta, who ceased to be the BMC chairperson after the civic board was dissolved on June 6, denied the allegation while speaking to media after his arrest.

“Why just Rs 1 crore? They could have said Rs 100 crore. If they can prove I took even a single rupee, they can hang me,” he said.

The chain of events leading to the arrest was set off at 7. 30pm on Monday, when a police team went to Dutta’s flat in Rajarhat to question him.

“As Dutta was inconsistent in his replies, he was brought to Bidhannagar North police station around 10pm. He was questioned until 1am and arrested half an hour later,” said an officer. Dutta was questioned based on CCTV footage submitted by the businessman, the officer said.

Dutta said, “The complainant was arrested in 2018... His family and an aide came to me to arrange for his bail.” Dutta’s lawyers submitted that the arrest was illegal. “How could he be arrested even before an FIR was registered? The FIR is dated June 9,” one of his lawyers said.

Police, however, told the court that Dutta had demanded Rs 1 crore from the complainant, a part of which was paid. “It was collected through Gullu, who is absconding,” said a lawyer for Bidhannagar police. The court remanded him in cop custody for eight days.

As Dutta was being taken to court, a crowd hurled eggs, cow dung and tomatoes. Some landed on cops and the vehicle.

At court, another group shouted “chor, chor”. Minister Sharadwat Mukherjee said, “Dutta was one of the biggest pillars of corruption in Bidhannagar. His arrest was sudden but not unexpected.”

Dutta became a TMC councillor of Bidhannagar Municipality in 2000 and became the BMC mayor in 2015. In 2019, he resigned as mayor and joined BJP.

He fought as a BJP candidate from Bidhannagar in 2021 and lost to TMC’s Sujit Bose. He later returned to TMC and was appointed BMC chairperson.