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Kolkata ex-councillor Shams Iqbal arrested in ₹70-lakh extortion case

Published on: 29 Jun 2026, 05:06 AM

Kolkata police arrested former Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) councillor Shams Iqbal on Monday morning in connection with a 2023 extortion case. Iqbal, who previously represented Ward No. 134 (Metiabruz) and is considered a close associate of former Kolkata mayor Firhad Hakim, was taken into custody by officers from the Garden Reach police station.

The arrest follows a complaint filed on Sunday by local businessman Md Shadab, 33, a resident of the Metiabruz area. Shadab accused Iqbal, also known as Anil, and his associates Md Faraz alias Boon, Feroz Qureshi alias Churi Feroz, and several unidentified individuals of running a targeted extortion network.

According to senior police officers, the alleged extortion demands began in June 2023. The accused allegedly used their local political influence to systematically extort money from the businessman.

Source: Indian Express

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