Kolkata, July 9 (IANS) A man has been arrested by the police following allegations of defrauding people on the pretext of providing flats and land in New Town and Salt Lake, police said on Thursday. He has been accused of cheating people of around Rs 70 lakh.

He was arrested from Amherst Street in north Kolkata on Wednesday night by personnel of Bidhannagar North Police Station. Police have launched an investigation into the matter.

The arrested man has been identified as Robin Dutta. He is accused of collecting lakhs of rupees from several people on the promise of providing them flats and land in the New Town and Salt Lake areas.

According to the police, Dutta allegedly took Rs 54 lakh from a man identified as Ashish Biswas after promising to provide him land in Salt Lake. He is also accused of taking Rs 16 lakh from Sonali Mukherjee, a resident of Salt Lake, on the assurance of providing her a flat and land in New Town.

However, the promised properties were never provided. Subsequently, both complainants lodged separate complaints against Dutta.

The complainants have also alleged that no action was taken against Robin Dutta despite complaints being lodged against him during the previous Trinamool Congress government. After the change of government in the state, they submitted another complaint to state Health Minister and Bidhannagar MLA Sharadwat Mukherjee.

Only thereafter did the police initiate action. Investigators are now examining whether Dutta acted alone or if others were involved in the alleged fraud.

Meanwhile, this is not the first time the state Health Minister has intervened after receiving public complaints. Last month, following his intervention, contraceptives, a bed and a dressing table were found inside a ward office of the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation after it was opened in the minister’s presence.

The ward office, which had earlier been run by the Trinamool Congress, had remained locked since the declaration of the state Assembly election results on May 4. After it was opened, the premises were found to have been converted into what officials described as a hotel-like facility, with multiple air-conditioners and sofas in several rooms.

–IANS

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