Kolkata, October 5 (Daily Kiran) : A former panchayat leader of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) was arrested in Kolkata on October 5, accused of committing financial fraud under the pretense of securing jobs for individuals. Basanti Biswas, the arrested leader from the Charghat panchayat in North 24 Parganas district, had allegedly defrauded several residents, including Mazar Ali, out of significant sums of money.
Her husband, Nikhil Ranjan Biswas, had been arrested earlier on similar charges. The couple’s arrest followed complaints from victims to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.
The police revealed that the couple had received large amounts of money from job seekers, promising them government positions in return. Victims reported that they paid several lakhs of rupees in 2023 but did not receive any jobs. When they demanded refunds, the Biswas couple allegedly threatened them.
Local authorities noted that multiple complaints against Basanti had been filed after a change in government, with accusations of extortion and financial fraud surfacing. Previously, no action was taken against her while her party was in power.
After the government shift, Mazar Ali and others sought justice at a public hearing with the Chief Minister. Following this, the Chief Minister instructed the administration to take action. Nikhil was arrested on September 12 and remains in judicial custody, while Basanti was taken into custody on Monday.
Mazar Ali, a former ICDS employee turned TMC panchayat head, claimed that Basanti accumulated significant wealth while exploiting unemployed youth under the guise of job placements. He expressed hope that justice would be served and that others involved in the fraud would also be apprehended.
BJP leader Vrindaban Sarkar commented that Basanti Biswas’s arrest sends a clear message to the local community.
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