Police arrest 9 TMC netas, 3 associates amid crackdown

Kolkata/Kalyani/Kharagpur: Police on Saturday arrested 12 persons associated with the Trinamool, including an Amdanga panchayat chief and three municipal councillors, in cases linked to post-poll violence, extortion, intimidation and alleged corruption, as the administration widened its crackdown on criminal complaints that surfaced after the elections.Among those held were Amdanga panchayat chief Anisur Rehman, Titagarh councillor Enam Khan (ward 12), Basirhat councillor Gopal Das (ward 21), Bongaon councillor Prasenjit Ghosh and his wife Uma Ghosh, a former panchayat chief of Chhoygharia in Bongaon. The arrests followed multiple complaints against alleged coercion, threats and illegal collections, police said.In a related development tied to the earlier arrest of Baduria municipality chairman Dipankar Bhattacharya, police held two of his close associates, Ajit Saha and his brother Sujit Saha. During a search, officers found firearms and cartridges buried in a jute field beside Bhattacharya's farmhouse. Investigators said the weapons were found near the spot from where police had earlier seized Rs 3.4 crore in cash, adding a fresh dimension to the probe.Nadia district witnessed another flashpoint after allegations emerged that govt relief materials — tarpaulin sheets and clothes meant for beneficiaries — were stored inside a local club allegedly linked to Nabadwip municipality chairman and TMC neta Biman Krishna Saha.Following complaints by residents and a police search that reportedly recovered a large stock of relief items, Saha was detained around 3.40am amid a gathering outside his residence, later arrested and produced in Krishnanagar court. The court remanded him in seven days of police custody. An associate, Saurav Saha, was also arrested and sent to seven days' police custody.In West Midnapore, police arrested three TMC functionaries in separate cases. Gautam Dandapat of Chandrakona was held over allegations of illegally adding ineligible names to the Lakshmi Bhandar scheme in exchange for money. District council member Kalpana Sit was arrested on allegations of illegal financial transactions, with police probing possible links to a wider network. Narayangarh TMC president Lakshmi Sheet was arrested on charges including rape, assault and provisions under the POCSO Act.