Trinamool Congress leader Sabyasachi Dutta was reportedly arrested on Tuesday morning from West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district on charges of extortion and criminal intimidation, police said.
The former Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) chairman, was arrested over a businessman’s complaint, who had alleged that Dutta was involved in extortion activities, news agency PTI reported.
The police registered an FIR and arrested Dutta from his residence at Raigachi, a senior officer said. He is scheduled to be produced before the Bidhannagar Court later in the day, according to ANI.
Dutta had joined the BJP in 2019 and returned to the Mamata Banerjee-led party a couple of years later. He unsuccessfully contested the Barasat seat in the 2026 assembly elections.
Dutta's arrest comes at a time when the party is witnessing a series of high-profile arrests in connection with various cases being probed by law enforcement agencies.
{{/usCountry}}Dutta's arrest comes at a time when the party is witnessing a series of high-profile arrests in connection with various cases being probed by law enforcement agencies.
{{/usCountry}}The arrest also follows the arrest of TMC leader Jahangir Khan near the India-Nepal border on Monday in an extortion case. According to police, Khan had allegedly been evading law enforcement agencies for several days amid multiple criminal probes.
Khan's arrest marked a significant breakthrough for investigators who had been searching for the TMC leader in connection with allegations of extortion, intimidation and other criminal activities. His associate Israfil Chakdar, a gram panchayat chief, was also arrested in connection with allegations of extortion and intimidation.
TMC leader Tilak Kumar Chakraborty was also arrested in connection with an alleged job fraud case in Haldia, located in West Bengal's Purba Medinipur district, according to ANI.
In a separate case, Paritosh Dutta was arrested by Kolkata Police from Bardhaman in connection with an arms case linked to Surendranath College, ANI reported, citing Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma.
ANI further reported that panchayat official and TMC leader Rajib Banerjee was arrested from Birbhum in connection with an alleged rice ration sale case.
TMC faces dramatic split
These developments come amidst a dramatic split in the TMC legislature party. On Monday, Veteran Trinamool Congress leader Sukhendu Sekhar Ray resigned from the Rajya Sabha and from the party's primary membership alleging “unbridled corruption” and “anarchical rule” of the party.
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He said that his break with the TMC had effectively been sealed the day he demanded an internal inquiry into the role of police officers in the RG Kar hospital rape-murder case, adding, that he had been "increasingly isolated" within the party since speaking publicly on the case.
"My only fault was that I demanded an internal inquiry against certain police officers because I believed they had a major role in destruction of evidence," Ray told reporters in New Delhi. "That was the turning point. I realised I would not remain in the party for long," he said.
The party also saw a major breakup, after 58 of the 80 MLAs supported and elected the expelled TMC leader Ritabrata Banerjee the leader of the opposition (LoP) in the West Bengal assembly.
In its latest setback, at least 14 TMC MLAs met in Delhi and discussed breaking away in the presence of Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari. This was happening at the same time TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee was attending a key INDIA bloc meet 3 kilometres away.