Fresh FIR against absconding councillor over alleged ₹3.5 lakh footpath shop fraud

A fresh FIR has been registered against absconding Kolkata Municipal Corporation councillor Sushanta Ghosh and four others at Anandapur Police Station over allegations of forgery, cheating, and criminal conspiracy linked to the alleged sale of a footpath shop. The complaint alleges that the accused collected ₹3.5 lakh from a businessman after promising to provide a seven-foot shop near Ruby Crossing on Anandapur Road using allegedly forged documents.

According to the complaint, the incident dates back to November 2022 when a resident of Rajdanga School Road in Kasba was looking for a shop to start a business. The complainant alleged that Sushanta Ghosh and his associates offered to arrange a footpath shop and presented what was claimed to be a Kolkata Municipal Corporation trade license along with other supporting documents to establish the authenticity of the proposal.

The complainant alleged that, relying on the documents shown to him, he paid ₹3.5 lakh to the accused. He later claimed that the documents were not genuine and that the promised seven-foot shop was never handed over despite the payment being made.

According to the FIR, after receiving the money, the accused allegedly handed over the key to a much smaller four-foot space instead of the promised shop. The complainant claimed that the location had previously been used as an ambulance room by the Ruby Market Committee and allegedly did not possess a valid license for commercial operation.

The complainant further alleged that he was unable to approach the police earlier because of fear arising from the political influence of the accused. Following the filing of the complaint, police registered a case under relevant sections related to forgery, cheating, and criminal conspiracy. Investigators have intensified the probe and are continuing efforts to trace the accused persons named in the FIR.