Man Arrested for Extortion Attempt Using BJP Leaders Name in West Bengal

Kolkata, August 10: Kolkata police have arrested a man for attempting to extort money from a real estate company using the name of West Bengal BJP President, Samik Bhattacharya.

The arrest was made based on a complaint filed at the Bidhannagar Cyber Crime Police Station. Bhattacharya revealed the incident during an event on Sunday, stating, “I learned that someone was soliciting money from a real estate company in my name. It was reported that individuals were trying to extort funds using my name. A letter bearing my signature, name, and designation was also sent to the company. I am unaware of how this was done. Following this, I lodged a complaint with the Bidhannagar Cyber Crime Department and requested an investigation.”

The investigation uncovered that a person from Jalpaiguri district was orchestrating the extortion scheme using Bhattacharya’s name. The police initiated an inquiry and apprehended an individual from the Salakia area of Howrah district.

Recently, Bhattacharya acknowledged that it would take some time for the BJP government to completely eradicate incidents of extortion and illegal collections in the state. He also warned party workers that any leader or member found involved in extortion or other illegal activities would face action. He emphasized that allegations related to corruption would be taken seriously.

Bhattacharya urged party leaders and workers to move beyond the political culture of the Left Front and Trinamool Congress governments and promote clean politics.

A few days ago, BJP leadership assigned district supervisors the task of identifying individuals connected to extortion gangs and those involved in anti-party activities. The state BJP leadership has also communicated a strict message to district presidents and legislators regarding allegations of extortion.

Reports have indicated that district presidents, district secretaries, and legislators are not coordinating effectively. The top BJP leadership stated that better coordination is essential for strengthening the party and that a zero-tolerance policy will be adopted concerning extortion cases.

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