Kolkata: A fresh FIR has been lodged against jailed Trinamool Congress leader Swarup Biswas, accusing him of demanding a bribe of no less than Rs 80 lakh to allow a street food stall to operate and even seeking personal favors.
The latest complaint adds to the mounting legal troubles for Swarup, the brother of former Bengal state minister Aroop Biswas and the former president of the Federation of Cine Technicians and Workers of Eastern India (FCTWEI). He is already in custody over allegations of extortion and molestation.
Based on the woman's statement, the Kolkata Police registered New Alipore PS case number 96 on June 14 under sections 75(1)(ii) and 308(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertain to sexual harassment and extortion.
According to police, the complainant, a resident of the Regent Park area, approached the police on Sunday detailing an incident from February 2025. The woman stated that she had planned to set up a street food cart in New Alipore. To obtain the necessary clearances, she initially approached Swarup's wife, Jui Biswas, who was earlier the KMC councillor of ward 81.
The complainant alleged that Jui stated she did not possess the administrative authority to grant permission, directing her to instead contact Swarup Biswas. When the woman met Swarup, he allegedly demanded a hefty sum of Rs 80 lakh in exchange for the trade permission. Furthermore, the complainant explicitly stated that Swarup instructed her to meet him alone at the prominent Suruchi Sangha club in New Alipore, which she alleged hinted at demanding personal and sexual favors to settle the matter.
Following a detailed preliminary inquiry into the written plaint, the New Alipore police found the allegations to be cognizable and formally indexed the case against Swarup.
Swarup was previously arrested on June 4 by the New Alipore police following a wave of allegations concerning a systematic extortion racket operating out of Tollygunge's Technician Studio. The probe was triggered by a complaint from a female member of the Tollygunge Makeup Artists' Federation residing in Regent Park. She had alleged that she was intentionally starved of work for two years and was subsequently threatened and blackmailed for money when she demanded employment. Her complaint also revealed that a colleague had been forced to pay Swarup Rs 45,000.
Sources state that investigators are currently scrutinizing an alleged extortion racket run by the Biswas brother, who reportedly held absolute dominance over Tollywood, controlling everyone from directors to daily-wage technicians. Swarup is accused of running a long-standing corruption hub in the studio area, allegedly extorting at least Rs 22 lakh by luring unsuspecting victims with promises of industry jobs.
