Former Kolkata councilor Shams Iqbal Anil arrested in ₹70 crore extortion case

Former Kolkata councilor Shams Iqbal has been arrested for allegedly extorting ₹70 lakh from a businessman, police said on Monday (June 29). File | Photo credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

Former Kolkata councilor Shams Iqbal Anil has been arrested for allegedly extorting ₹70 lakh from a businessman, police said on Monday (June 29, 2026).

Mr. Anil, who represented Ward 134 and is believed to be a close aide of former Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim, was arrested on a complaint filed by Mohammad Shadab, a resident of Metiabruz, at the Garden Reach police station.

According to the complaint, Mr Anil and his associates, Mohammad Faraz and Firoz Qureshi, allegedly threatened to kill Mr Shadab and his family before forcing him to hand over ₹70 lakh in June 2023.

Police detained Mr Anil on Sunday (June 28, 2026) night and arrested him after prolonged interrogation.

“We have made the arrest based on a written complaint and preliminary investigation. The charges include blackmail, criminal threats and other relevant offenses under the law,” said a police officer.

Mr. Anil was considered one of the influential councilors in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation during the TMC regime.

According to police sources, this arrest brings to 10 the number of Kolkata councilors arrested in various criminal cases.

Published – 29 Jun 2026 12:54 IST