Kolkata: Just weeks after being at the center of one of West Bengal's most talked-about election battles in Falta, TMC strongman Jahangir Khan saw his image crumble when police arrested him near the India-Nepal border on Monday. The arrest marks a dramatic chapter in Bengal politics.
Arrest After Protection Vacated
Khan's arrest comes after the Calcutta High Court vacated the interim protection granted to him. Multiple criminal cases have been registered against him at Falta police station in South 24 Parganas district, with at least seven FIRs filed, including allegations of extortion and other criminal activities.
The 'Pushpa vs Singham' Battle
Khan gained national attention during the election campaign after his now-famous 'Pushpa' remark aimed at Uttar Pradesh-cadre IPS officer Ajay Pal Sharma, who was appointed by the Election Commission as a police observer in the Diamond Harbour region.
Responding to comparisons between Sharma and the fictional police officer 'Singham', Khan declared: 'If he is Singham, I am Pushpa. Jhukega nahi (I will not bow down).' The statement, inspired by actor Allu Arjun's blockbuster film character, quickly became one of the defining political moments of the Bengal elections.
However, what appeared to be an assertion of strength soon became a symbol of Khan's spectacular political downfall.
Falta Repoll and Sudden Withdrawal
The Election Commission ordered a repoll in the Falta Assembly constituency after reports of widespread electoral irregularities during the April 29 voting. Falta is not an ordinary constituency for the TMC; it falls within the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency represented by TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and has long been considered a party stronghold.
Yet less than 48 hours before polling, Khan stunned political observers by announcing his withdrawal from the contest. Addressing reporters, he said he wanted peace and development for Falta and cited a special package announced by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari as one of the reasons behind his decision. 'I want Falta to remain peaceful and prosperous. My dream has always been a Golden Falta,' Khan said.
However, the timing of the decision created an unusual situation. The deadline for withdrawing nominations had already passed, so Khan's name remained on Electronic Voting Machines despite his public declaration that he was no longer contesting. This bizarre development left voters confused and triggered intense political speculation.
TMC Calls It 'Betrayal'
The fallout inside the TMC was immediate. Senior TMC leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy publicly described Khan's withdrawal as a 'betrayal' that significantly damaged the party's prospects in the constituency. According to Roy, had Khan stepped aside before the official withdrawal deadline, the party could have fielded another candidate and mounted a competitive challenge against the BJP. 'The result was bound to come because our candidate withdrew after the last date. His name remained on the EVM. This was a betrayal,' Roy said.
The TMC itself distanced itself from Khan's decision, issuing a statement saying the withdrawal was a personal choice and not a party decision. Party leaders also alleged that workers in Falta had faced intimidation and arrests after the election results, creating an atmosphere of pressure that contributed to Khan's decision.
A Historic Defeat
The repoll result turned into one of the biggest political shocks of the post-election period. BJP candidate Debangshu Panda secured a record victory margin of 1,09,021 votes, exceeding even Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari's public appeal for a one-lakh-vote victory. This result became the BJP's highest winning margin in the 2026 Assembly elections.
Even more humiliating for the TMC was Khan's own performance. Despite his name remaining on the ballot, the former TMC strongman finished fourth with just 7,783 votes, losing his deposit in a constituency where the party had dominated for years. The seat had previously delivered huge leads to the TMC, including during Abhishek Banerjee's 2024 Lok Sabha victory when the party enjoyed overwhelming support in the constituency.
Political observers described the result as a symbolic collapse of the so-called 'Diamond Harbour model' that had long been considered one of the TMC's strongest political bastions.
FIRs and Court Battles
As political pressure mounted after the election, Khan largely disappeared from public view. Meanwhile, criminal cases against him began piling up. Police registered multiple FIRs at Falta police station, prompting Khan to move the Calcutta High Court seeking protection from arrest. Initially, the court granted interim protection, allowing him relief from coercive action while the repoll process was underway.
However, the legal shield proved temporary. The state government opposed the extension of protection, arguing that the relief had been granted solely to enable Khan's participation in the electoral process. The High Court eventually refused to extend the protection. Justice Partha Sarathi Sen observed that protection could not be continued merely on the basis of claims of political vendetta or changes in the political situation. The court also took note of the multiple criminal cases registered against Khan.
Arrest Near Border
With the court protection gone, police intensified efforts to trace Khan. On Monday, officers apprehended him near the India-Nepal border in north Bengal. Police confirmed that Khan was taken into custody in connection with the cases registered against him.
For many in Bengal politics, the story of Jahangir Khan will be remembered not only for the arrest itself but for the extraordinary sequence of events that preceded it: the 'Pushpa' challenge, the mysterious withdrawal from the repoll, the confusion of remaining on EVMs despite quitting the race, the TMC's accusations of betrayal, and the crushing Falta defeat that exposed deep fault lines in one of the party's traditional strongholds.
