Kolkata: In a decisive move against syndicate operations, Kolkata and Bengal Police have made multiple arrests and recoveries within 48 hours of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari's directive to eliminate all forms of syndicate in the state.
Arrest of Former Baranagar Strongman
On Wednesday, police arrested former Baranagar strongman and Trinamool Congress councillor Shantanu Majumdar, alias Mejo, on charges of extortion. Majumdar, councillor of ward no. 14 of Baranagar Municipality, was apprehended from a hideout at Bonhooghly following multiple complaints lodged by locals, promoters, and traders. Police sources revealed that Majumdar was accused of intimidating businessmen and forcing them to pay money in connection with real estate transactions and commercial activities in the area.
Investigators further alleged that he used his political influence to interfere in disputes related to tenancy and property matters. One of the complaints was filed by Baranagar resident Rita Roy on Tuesday, who claimed that the councillor extorted money from her on several occasions between 2024 and 2026, in the name of resolving disputes involving tenants in her flat. Roy stated that Majumdar collected nearly Rs 70,000 from her in multiple installments and also attempted to forcibly place tenants in the property.
Court Appearance and Police Action
After his arrest, Majumdar was produced before a Barrackpore court. Dyutiman Bhattacharya, Deputy Commissioner of Police, South Zone, Barrackpore Commissionerate, stated, "He was accused of extorting money from businessmen several times and setting up kangaroo courts to settle disputes over monetary transactions. He was arrested on the basis of several complaints and produced before the Barrackpore court."
Meanwhile, Lalbazar top cops, led by Commissioner of Police Ajay Nand, held a meeting with senior officers, including ACPs and OCs, and laid out a seven-point Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for police stations to follow to keep a check on syndicates. Similar arrests have been reported from other districts as well.
Additional Arrests and Ongoing Investigations
In Kolkata, on the same day that Kolkata Police arrested Trinamool Congress functionary Narayan Ranjit and his associate Gopal Mallik from Jajpur, Odisha, a fresh case of extortion was lodged against the accused. The FIR alleges that the accused, acting with common intention, extorted Rs 1.5 lakh from Manas Das and Sanjay Mondal through death threats over the past month at Anandapur. They also used unparliamentary language to insult local women's modesty and issued dire warnings.
A Detective Department (DD) team has also left for Hyderabad in search of Kasba strongman Sona Pappu. Pappu has been on the wanted list for several months after a syndicate clash at Golpark weeks before the elections. Despite appearing Live on Facebook multiple times, he has managed to remain elusive. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also put Pappu under the radar, and arrests linked to his case have already been made.
