Kolkata, May 13 (IANS) Trinamool Congress councillor of Baranagar Municipality in North 24 Parganas district, Shantanu Majumdar alias Mejo, has been arrested on charges of extortion, police said on Wednesday.​

He is the councillor of Ward Number 14 of Baranagar.​

Barrackpore Police arrested him on allegations that he used to take money in exchange for resolving tenant problems in flats.​

According to the police, a complaint was filed against Shantanu at the police station on Tuesday. Rita Roy, a resident of Baranagar, lodged the complaint.​

The woman alleged that Shantanu had taken money from her on various occasions in the name of resolving tenant problems in the flat.​

It is alleged that Shantanu had taken Rs 70,000 from her in instalments between 2024 and 2026.​

The councillor is also accused of forcibly settling tenants in the flat. After receiving the complaint, Barrackpore Police took action.​

The Trinamool Congress councillor was arrested within 24 hours of the complaint being filed.​

The arrested councillor has been charged with forcible entry into a house, extortion, threats, and intimidation.​

A complaint has been filed against Shantanu under Sections 333, 308(5), 351(3), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.​

Since the change of power in the state after the Bharatiya Janata Party formed the government following its victory in the Assembly elections, the police have been active in taking action against Trinamool Congress councillors for breaking the law.​

On May 9, police arrested Trinamool Congress councillor Bhishmadev Karmakar in Berhampore, Murshidabad district, who was accused of obstructing Congress leader Adhir Chowdhury’s Assembly election campaign.​

Bhishmadev is a councillor of Ward Number 19 of Berhampore.​ He is also the youth Trinamool Congress president of the Murshidabad organisational district.​

On May 6, a Trinamool Congress councillor was arrested on charges of punching and breaking a police officer’s nose in Serampore, Hooghly district.​

Trinamool Congress councillor Rajesh Shah alias Kukua, however, alleged a political vendetta against him.​

On May 5, a Trinamool Congress councillor, Amirul Sheikh Islam, was arrested again under the Arms Act.​

He is the councillor of Ward Number 14 of Pujali Municipality in Diamond Harbour, South 24 Parganas district.​

–IANS​

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