Former Kolkata Councillor Susanta Ghosh Arrested in Puri on Extortion Charges

Kolkata Police, in a joint operation with the Odisha Police, arrested former Trinamool Congress (TMC) councillor Susanta Ghosh from Puri, Odisha, on Wednesday. Ghosh, who represented ward 108 in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, had been absconding after multiple cases of extortion, corruption, and forgery were filed against him.

According to police, a First Information Report (FIR) was lodged against Ghosh based on allegations of running an extortion racket. Over 130 members of a market hawkers’ committee in Anandapur, eastern Kolkata, had filed a complaint stating that Ghosh and at least seven associates had collected Rs 3 crore from them over several years through illegal means, including forced payments and cuts.

Officials said Ghosh was untraceable since the registration of the case. A special task force of Kolkata Police tracked him to Puri, where he was apprehended in coordination with local authorities. He was subsequently produced before a court in Odisha, and the police have sought transit remand to bring him back to Kolkata for further investigation.

The allegations against Ghosh include extortion, accepting illegal cuts, corruption, and issuing threats to the complainants. The arrest is part of a wider investigation into alleged corrupt practices by former councillors. With Ghosh’s arrest, the number of former Kolkata councillors taken into custody in connection with similar charges has risen to 10.

Legal experts note that the cases highlight the need for transparency and accountability in local governance. The investigation is ongoing, and all accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.