BJP candidate’s brother held in Malda with ₹2.79 lakh cash days ahead of polling

Just hours before the first phase of polling in the West Bengal Assembly Election 2026, police in Malda arrested Biplab Das, the brother of BJP candidate Ratan Das, during a naka checking operation in the Chanchal Assembly constituency. A total of ₹2.79 lakh in cash was recovered from him, and he was taken into custody after failing to provide a satisfactory explanation for carrying the amount.

The arrest took place on Tuesday night in the Baroi Gram Panchayat area under Chanchal, with personnel from Harishchandrapur Police Station conducting routine checks as part of heightened election surveillance. With voting scheduled across 152 constituencies on April 23, authorities have intensified monitoring to prevent illegal cash movement and ensure compliance with election guidelines.

This incident follows a similar case in Diamond Harbour, where two BJP leaders—Arunava Majumdar and Akshay Chakraborty—were detained during naka checking at Hotuganj. During the search, ₹9.88 lakh in cash was recovered from a bag hidden under a car seat. According to police sources, they too failed to provide a valid explanation for carrying the money, leading to their detention.

Multiple such seizures have been reported across the state in recent weeks. In another instance, ₹25 lakh was recovered from a vehicle near Birla Mandir in Ballygunge. Reports indicate that between February 26 and April 17, authorities have seized a total of ₹21 crore across West Bengal, highlighting intensified enforcement efforts ahead of the elections.