In West Bengal, influential Trinamool Congress leader Iftikhar Ahmed, also known as Pappu, has been apprehended by the East Burdwan district police for various criminal offenses, including alleged extortion at gunpoint and issuing death threats. Ahmed, the spouse of former Burdwan Municipality councilor Shefali Begum, was taken into custody in the Viringi area of Durgapur in the neighboring West Burdwan district. The police requested a 10-day custody for further investigation, but the court granted three days.
Authorities revealed that Ahmed had been leveraging his political connections to extort money from individuals and businesses in Burdwan station and Burdwan city, creating a climate of fear through the use of illegal firearms. The investigation includes multiple cases filed against him from 2019 to 2026, with Ahmed reportedly providing crucial information during questioning. It was alleged that he amassed a significant sum through extortion due to his association with former Trinamool MLA Khokan Das and invested the money in various parts of the state.
The arrested Trinamool leader has pledged to assist in uncovering the extortion network and illegal weapons, according to the police. The case stemmed from a complaint lodged on May 26 this year by Shivshankar Chowdhury, who claimed that his shop near Burdwan railway station was attacked when he refused to pay extortion money. Threatened at gunpoint, Chowdhury and his wife were assaulted, and their home was later burglarized of cash and gold ornaments.
