Police arrest another 'tolabaj' KMC councilor Arijit Das Thakur, list continues to grow

The wave of arrests targeting Trinamool Congress (TMC) leadership in Kolkata shows no signs of slowing down. On Tuesday, the Garfa Police Station arrested Arijit Das Thakur, the councilor for Ward 106 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. Das Thakur, who is the son of veteran leader Dulal Das Thakur and a key figure in the party’s IT wing, faces multiple serious charges, including the systemic extortion of local businessmen. He is scheduled to be produced in court this Wednesday as investigators look into several complaints filed against him by victims in his ward.

This latest arrest marks a significant pattern emerging since the recent change in the state administration. For years, opposition leaders had alleged that extortion rackets run by TMC councilors were being shielded by the ruling establishment. However, since the political shift, the police appear to have gained the autonomy to act on long-standing grievances. Das Thakur is now the third councilor to be taken into custody in quick succession, following the high-profile arrests of Sudip Polle (Ward 123) and Sachin Singh (Ward 36).

The details of the previous arrests highlight the diverse nature of the allegations facing the party's local representatives. While Das Thakur is accused of financial crimes against businesses, Sachin Singh was arrested in connection with a violent 2021 post-poll case involving looting, vandalism, and death threats. The police action against Singh was triggered by a specific complaint from a resident who claimed his home was attacked by the councilor and his associates shortly after the assembly election results were declared.