Trinamool's Sabyasachi Dutta, Bidhannagar Ex-Mayor, Arrested On Extortion Charges

Facing its biggest political crisis since its inception nearly three decades ago, the Trinamool has been dealt another blow. The party's former MLA and former Biddhannagar mayor Sabyasachi Dutta has been arrested on extortion charges, adding to the string of desertions and arrests that had hit Mamata Banerjee's party since it lost power in West Bengal.

Dutta, who had served as the mayor of Biddhannagar until 2019, was taken into custody late last night after a police case was filed against him in the evening. A businessman had lodged a complaint alleging that the leader had extorted lakhs of rupees from him back in 2018. Based on his complaint, police filed an FIR and arrested him.

Dutta is a well-known politician from Biddhannagar, popularly known as the Salt Lake area, a satellite town of Kolkata. He is the second prominent leader from the area to be arrested after Sujit Bose, a former minister in the Mamata Banerjee cabinet.

He had contested the 2026 assembly election from Barasat but lost to the BJP. He is also known to be a political turncoat. In 2019, he had crossed over to the BJP but returned to the Trinamool two years later, citing "misunderstandings" that had been cleared.

Dutta had been on the radar of investigative agencies over financial transactions linked to the Bidhannagar municipal body. Officials claim to have obtained documents that formed the basis for his arrest, and is currently being interrogated. Dutta has denied the allegations levelled against him.

His arrest comes as investigative agencies tighten the noose on several prominent Trinamool leaders after the party lost power in West Bengal. Trinamool strongman Jahangir Khan was arrested yesterday from near the India-Nepal border in connection with a case involving extortion and threats. Party leader Jayaprakash Majumdar was also arrested in connection with a case involving the alleged illegal occupation of property.

The developments come at a time the Trinamool is facing a massive internal rebellion that threatens to split the party. At least 20 MPs are learnt to have formed a separate bloc in Parliament and want to join the NDA. Besides, at least 60 of the party's 80-odd MLAs had earlier expressed their dissent to the party leadership and joined a rebel camp.