KMC Trinamool councillor arrested on attempt to murder, molestation charges — 10th such arrest
Synopsis
Ten sitting Trinamool Congress councillors of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation have now been arrested in rapid succession. The latest, Swapan Samaddar of Ward No. 56, faces charges of attempt to murder and molestation linked to an alleged 2022 incident — a complaint reportedly suppressed for years due to his political influence after the 2021 Bengal polls.
Key Takeaways
Swapan Samaddar , TMC councillor of Ward No.
56 of the KMC, was arrested from Phoolbagan , Kolkata on Wednesday .
Charges include attempt to murder, molestation, illegal detention, theft, and criminal intimidation under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) .
The complaint relates to an alleged incident on 2 May 2022 , filed at Narkeldanga police station ; the complainant is a woman.
The arrest takes the total number of arrested KMC Trinamool councillors to 10 .
Recent arrests also include Bappaditya Dasgupta (extortion), Mohammad Jasimuddin (POCSO), and Sushmita Bhattacharya and her husband (extortion).
Kolkata police on Wednesday arrested Swapan Samaddar, a Trinamool Congress (TMC) councillor of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) representing Ward No. 56, on charges including attempt to murder, molestation, illegal detention, and criminal intimidation. The arrest brings the total number of sitting TMC councillors detained from the KMC to 10 in a rapidly widening crackdown.
The Charges and Arrest
Samaddar was picked up from the Phoolbagan area of Kolkata on Wednesday, following a complaint lodged at Narkeldanga police station in north Kolkata on Tuesday. According to police, the complainant is a woman, and the alleged incident dates back to 2 May 2022. An FIR has been registered against Samaddar under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), covering attempt to murder, molestation, illegal detention, obstruction of work, causing intentional injury, destruction of property, theft, and criminal intimidation.
Why the Complaint Was Filed Now
According to the complaint, Samaddar was allegedly involved in post-poll violence following the declaration of the 2021 West Bengal Assembly election results. Since the Trinamool Congress was in power at the time, he reportedly exercised considerable local influence, which allegedly prevented the complainant from approaching the police earlier. The complainant has now come forward and lodged a formal complaint.
Samaddar was also associated with the patient welfare association of Beliaghata ID Hospital, giving him a degree of institutional reach beyond his ward-level role.
A Pattern of Arrests Across KMC
The arrest of Samaddar is the latest in a series of detentions targeting TMC-affiliated KMC councillors in quick succession. On Saturday night, Bappaditya Dasgupta was arrested in Patuli on extortion charges. The following Sunday morning, police detained councillor Mohammad Jasimuddin from his residence in Jorasanko, central Kolkata; a case has been registered against him under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 for allegedly molesting a minor. On Tuesday, Sushmita Bhattacharya, councillor of Ward No. 63, and her husband were arrested on extortion charges.
What This Signals
The back-to-back arrests point to a broader law-enforcement sweep against elected TMC representatives in Kolkata, with the tally now at 10 arrested KMC councillors. Critics argue the cluster of cases — many tied to alleged post-poll violence from 2021 and crimes reportedly suppressed due to political influence — reflects a delayed accountability reckoning. The speed and scale of the detentions are being closely watched by opposition parties and civil society groups in West Bengal.
Point of View
Filed only now, raises an uncomfortable question: were these cases sitting in a drawer, or did complainants genuinely fear retribution until the political climate shifted? The POCSO case against Jasimuddin and the attempt-to-murder charges against Samaddar are not minor infractions — they suggest that ward-level power in Kolkata operated with near-total impunity for years. Whether this sweep reflects genuine accountability or a politically timed clean-up will depend on whether prosecutions actually reach conviction, or quietly stall once the headlines fade.
NationPress
26 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Swapan Samaddar and why was he arrested?
Swapan Samaddar is a Trinamool Congress councillor representing Ward No. 56 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. He was arrested on Wednesday on charges including attempt to murder, molestation, illegal detention, and criminal intimidation, linked to an alleged incident on 2 May 2022.
Why was the complaint filed against Samaddar only now?
According to the complaint, Samaddar allegedly wielded considerable political influence following the 2021 West Bengal Assembly election results, which reportedly prevented the complainant from approaching police at the time. The complainant has now lodged a formal FIR at Narkeldanga police station.
How many KMC Trinamool councillors have been arrested so far?
With Samaddar's arrest, the total number of sitting Trinamool Congress councillors arrested from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation has reached 10. Multiple arrests occurred within days of each other.
Who else among KMC councillors was recently arrested?
Bappaditya Dasgupta was arrested on Saturday on extortion charges; Mohammad Jasimuddin was detained on Sunday under the POCSO Act for allegedly molesting a minor; and Sushmita Bhattacharya of Ward No. 63 and her husband were arrested on Tuesday on extortion charges.
What laws have been invoked in these KMC councillor arrests?
Charges against Samaddar have been filed under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), covering attempt to murder, molestation, illegal detention, and related offences. The case against Jasimuddin was registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.
