The police arrested Israfil Chakdar, a close associate of Trinamool Congress leader Jahangir Khan, in Hasimnagar of Falta police station area. Chakdar faces charges of extortion, intimidation, and assault, as confirmed by the police. Israfil Chakdar serves as the Trinamool chief of Banganagar II Gram Panchayat.
Local women in the Hasimnagar area of Banganagar II Gram Panchayat staged protests after alleging that Trinamool-backed miscreants, led by Israfil Chakdar, obstructed their voting rights during the Assembly elections on April 29. The protesters accused Chakdar of preventing them from voting, beating, and molesting females, leading to demands for re-election in Falta.
Following the protests in Hashim Nagar, the Election Commission annulled the Falta election due to various complaints. A re-election for the entire Falta Assembly constituency took place on May 21, resulting in BJP candidate Debangshu Panda winning by a significant margin. Trinamool candidate Jahangir Khan’s deposit was forfeited as he secured the fourth position in the election.
After the election results, a search was initiated for Israfil Chakdar, leading to his arrest on Wednesday night. Chakdar is set to appear before the Diamond Harbour ACJM court on Thursday. Notably, another Trinamool leader, Nasir Sheikh, was previously arrested for alleged extortion activities in the Falta Special Economic Zone.
Nasir Sheikh, associated with Trinamool workers’ organization, faced accusations of extorting money from factory workers, withholding fair wages, and dismissing workers unlawfully. His arrest followed worker protests against his actions, leading to police intervention and subsequent arrest.
The series of arrests involving Trinamool leaders raises questions about the potential arrest of Jahangir Khan. The Calcutta High Court has removed Khan’s protection and issued orders for his cooperation in investigations. However, Khan has been missing since the day before the re-election.
