A joint team of the West Bengal Police and Handia Police from Prayagraj arrested former Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Khokan Das on Sunday near the Handia toll plaza on the Kanpur-Varanasi highway. The arrest is connected to the 2021 post-poll violence that erupted in West Bengal following the assembly elections.
Details of the Arrest
Das, a prominent TMC heavyweight and former legislator from the Bardhaman South constituency, is accused of inciting a mob to target BJP leaders. He is also alleged to have orchestrated attacks on their residences after the 2021 assembly elections. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Ganga Nagar) Kuldeep Singh confirmed that Das was apprehended while returning to Bardhaman.
Acting on a request from the West Bengal Police, the Handia police in Prayagraj provided assistance. A joint team was conducting vehicle checks on the highway when Das was intercepted. He faces allegations of criminal intimidation, extortion, and abetment of political violence. Police stated that he will be taken to West Bengal after obtaining a transit remand from a local court.
Tracking and Interception
According to police sources, a team from the West Bengal Police had been tracking Das and received specific intelligence about his movement along National Highway 2. Based on this information, the joint team intercepted and detained him. He was produced before a local court to secure transit remand, which will facilitate his transfer to West Bengal for further questioning and legal proceedings.
Political Background and Controversy
Das won the Bardhaman South assembly seat in the 2021 elections, securing 91,015 votes and defeating BJP candidate Sandip Nandi, who polled 82,910 votes. However, his electoral fortunes reversed in the 2026 Assembly polls, in which the BJP ended the Trinamool Congress’s 15-year rule in West Bengal by defeating the government led by Mamata Banerjee. According to Election Commission data, Das lost the Bardhaman South seat to BJP candidate Moumita Biswas Mishra by a margin of more than 30,000 votes. While Das secured 77,284 votes, Mishra polled 1,07,754 votes.
The former MLA landed in controversy following the TMC’s defeat in the recent polls. An audio clip that went viral on social media allegedly featured Das claiming that he was a BJP leader in the wake of the changed political landscape.
Author's Note
Kapil Dixit covers crime, traffic, health, administration, politics, and offbeat stories from Prayagraj. He has extensively covered the Maha Kumbh, Ardh Kumbh, and Magh Melas, as well as state assembly and parliamentary polls from 2002 to 2025. His hobbies include reading, writing, and meeting people with diverse interests.
