Trinamool leaders face arrests, public anger and return extorted money

From Cooch Behar in the north to South 24 Parganas in the south, she was arrested in almost every district of West Bengal. File | Photo credit: Reuters

Since the regime change in West Bengal, several Trinamool Congress leaders have found themselves on the wrong side of the law, facing charges ranging from corruption to involvement in violence.

The Krishnanagar police arrested Sarajit Biswas, a panchayat functionary, on charges of extorting money from several factories and workers. In the last seven days, several Trinamool Congress leaders have been arrested at the gram panchayat level. Another party leader, Rajdeep De, pradhan of Kamarpukur panchayat in Hooghly district, was arrested from Tarakershwar on charges of extortion. While the two leaders claimed political vendetta, the police said they had received specific complaints against them.

Raju Panrui, a councilor from Baidyabati in Hooghly district, was arrested on charges of threatening BJP supporters during the recently concluded assembly elections. Other arrests include panchayat pradhan Smritikana Mondal and her husband Anil Mondal of Billaimari in Ratua block of Malda district, accused of embezzling ₹13 crore from a local cooperative bank. Police also arrested Trinamool union leader Saddam Sheikh on charges of extorting money from e-rickshaw drivers.

In Falta, South 24 Parganas, where by-elections are scheduled on May 21, police arrested Saidul Khan, vice-president of Falta Panchayat Samita and a close associate of Jahangir Khan, the Trinamool candidate in the election.

From Cooch Behar in the north to South 24 Parganas in the south, she was arrested in almost every district of West Bengal. The crackdown intensified after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday (May 16, 2026) urged people to file complaints against those who allegedly extorted money from them during the previous Trinamool Congress regime.

In Howrah Amta district, a large group of angry villagers, mainly women, protested and tried to vandalize the house of Kachmuli panchayat pradhan Anjali Dalui. Local residents claimed to have filed several complaints against Anjali Dalui and her husband Tarun Dalui, an influential local Trinamool leader, over allegations that they were forced to pay bribes to panchayat pradhans to access funds under the Awas Yojana and secure jobs under the “100-day” rural employment scheme.

In another incident in the Birbhum Nanoor area, two Trinamool leaders of the Kankalitala gram panchayat – Mamoon Sheikh and Alef Sheikh – returned money allegedly collected as “punishment” from BJP supporters after the 2021 assembly elections. Eleven BJP supporters reportedly received refunds.

State BJP President Samik Bhattacharya said at a public meeting in Falta on Sunday (May 17, 2026) that the Trinamool Congress will cease to exist as a party in the coming years.

In another development, a large number of Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPICs) were found scattered in a field at Kirnahar village in Birbhum district on Sunday (May 17, 2026). The field is adjacent to the residence of former Booth Level Officer (BLO), Hiranyaprabha Mete Maji. The former BLO, who was earlier serving in Ketugram block of Purba Bardhaman district, was questioned by the police over the matter.

Meanwhile, more than hundred Aadhaar cards along with PAN cards and land related documents were recovered from Trinamool Congress party office in Bidhannagar.

BJP leaders have on several occasions alleged that Trinamool leaders collected Aadhaar cards and other documents like MGNREGA job cards and stored them in local offices. Following the regime change following the recently concluded 2026 assembly elections, several Trinamool Party offices were reportedly opened by locals and BJP workers, with some even occupied by BJP supporters, despite senior party leaders such as Samik Bhattachararya urging party supporters not to take over Trinamool Congress party offices.

Published – 17 May 2026 21:56 IST