Kolkata: In a significant development, Dipankar Bhattacharya, the chairman of Baduria Municipality, was arrested on Tuesday after a police raid uncovered approximately Rs 80 lakh in cash and around 4,000 tarpaulin sheets allegedly intended for disaster relief from a godown at his residence in Punra, located in North 24-Parganas district. He has been remanded to police custody for six days.
Details of the Raid
The operation commenced on Monday evening at properties linked to Bhattacharya. During the search, investigators discovered Rs 79.7 lakh in cash in what they described as a "secret hideout" associated with him. To facilitate the counting of the seized money, three currency-counting machines were brought to the scene.
Residents' Complaints Spark Action
The case gained momentum after local residents reported suspicious activities on Monday night. They observed tarpaulin sheets being moved from Bhattacharya's office to another location. Additionally, residents alleged that government documents were being piled up and burned outside the office. Acting on these complaints, police were alerted, but by the time officers arrived, Bhattacharya and several of his associates had already fled the scene.
Recovery of Tarpaulin Sheets
Following the initial reports, police conducted searches at the chairman's party office and a garden house, where they recovered the tarpaulin sheets. A senior Basirhat district police official stated that the material appeared to have been stockpiled instead of being distributed to affected individuals, raising suspicions of misappropriation of relief supplies.
Legal Proceedings
Two complaints were filed against Bhattacharya at Baduria Police Station. Later on Monday night, police raided a computer center adjacent to his residence and recovered additional cash. On Tuesday morning, Bhattacharya was finally apprehended. He has been produced in court and sent to police custody for six days to facilitate further investigation.
The incident has sparked outrage among local residents, who demand a thorough probe into the alleged diversion of disaster relief materials. Authorities are now investigating the source of the cash and the intended use of the tarpaulin sheets, which were meant for distribution during emergencies.
