Kolkata: Former Trinamool Congress strongman Abhijit Roy, widely known as Bonny, who was previously arrested in connection with extortion and Arms Act cases, was paraded through several areas of Kanchrapara and Bijpur on Thursday afternoon. Dressed in a sleeveless vest and Bermuda shorts, with a rope tied around his waist, Bonny was led through the streets as locals shouted 'chor-chor' (thief-thief) slogans at him.
Police Parade as Part of Investigation
According to local sources, Bonny, a former Trinamool Congress youth functionary, was once accused of wielding immense influence over railway police quarters, including deciding who could reside there. Now, he finds himself in police custody. Police sources confirmed that Bonny was taken around several wards of Bijpur Municipality on Thursday as part of the ongoing probe. Prior to this, he was paraded through parts of Kanchrapara. Earlier on Monday, police had taken him to the railway police quarters and the Nabin Pally area.
Bonny Claims Innocence
During the parade, Bonny maintained his innocence, stating, 'Those who committed the theft have fled. I did not steal anything. That is why I am still here.' His statement came amid allegations linking him to recent theft incidents in the area.
Political Rise and Fall
Sources indicate that during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, political tensions escalated in the Barrackpore constituency. A video showing a heated altercation between BJP candidate Arjun Singh and Bonny went viral on social media, according to a local trader. Political observers claim that from that point onward, Bonny's political influence and visibility in the region grew rapidly. He subsequently rose quickly within the Trinamool Congress ranks. However, local sources also allege that differences later emerged between Bonny and close aides of Kanchrapara Municipality chairman Kamal Adhikari.
Another TMC Functionary Arrested
In a related development, Falta police late Wednesday night arrested Israfill Chokdar, a prominent local Trinamool Congress functionary from South 24 Parganas and head of the Banga Nagar 2 Gram Panchayat, from the Hasimnagar area near Shirakol. Chokdar, known to be a close associate of TMC Falta candidate Jahangir Khan, faces a string of serious criminal charges, including extortion, intimidation, and physical assault. According to senior police officers, Chokdar had been evading police notices. He was produced before the Diamond Harbour ACJM court on Thursday morning, and investigators have sought his police remand to probe his involvement in poll-related violence and extortion rackets.
