Bengal judicial panel probes ex-TMC minister over ₹85 lakh farm loan fraud
Synopsis
A West Bengal judicial commission set up after the BJP displaced the Mamata Banerjee government has turned its lens on former TMC Transport Minister Snehasis Chakraborty, who allegedly obtained a ₹85 lakh loan from a farm cooperative by posing as a farmer — and reportedly used ministerial clout to arrange a second loan for a relative. The probe marks one of the first ministerial-level investigations by the commission.
Key Takeaways
West Bengal's judicial inquiry commission has begun investigating former TMC Transport Minister Snehasis Chakraborty over an alleged ₹85 lakh loan from the Singti Agricultural Cooperative Society .
Chakraborty allegedly obtained the loan by misrepresenting himself as a farmer, violating lending norms that restrict credit to cultivators.
He is also accused of using ministerial influence to secure a separate loan for a relative from the same cooperative.
TMC legislator Kunal Ghosh first raised the allegations; society employees Swapan Patra and activist Ramesh Patra were subsequently arrested.
The commission, headed by retired judge Justice Biswajit Basu , was formed on 14 July by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari to probe corruption from 2011 to 2026 .
The panel is expected to collect documents from the cooperative society shortly.
A judicial inquiry commission set up by the West Bengal government to examine alleged institutional corruption during the previous All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) regime has launched a formal investigation against former state Transport Minister Snehasis Chakraborty. The probe centres on allegations that Chakraborty, despite not being a farmer, obtained a loan of ₹85 lakh from an agricultural cooperative society during the years he served as a Cabinet minister.
The Allegations Against Chakraborty
According to the charges being examined, Chakraborty allegedly secured the loan from the Singti Agricultural Cooperative Society by misrepresenting himself as a farmer, in violation of the society's lending norms, which restrict such credit exclusively to cultivators. He is also alleged to have used his ministerial influence to facilitate a separate loan for a relative from the same cooperative — a claim that points to a pattern of institutional misuse rather than an isolated transaction.
TMC legislator Kunal Ghosh, representing the Beliaghata Assembly constituency in Kolkata and aligned with the faction loyal to former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, was the first to publicly allege the irregularity. Ghosh also questioned whether Chakraborty had been repaying the loan at all. Following his disclosure, society employees Swapan Patra and activist Ramesh Patra were arrested.
Who Is Snehasis Chakraborty
Chakraborty served as a three-time TMC legislator from the Jangipara Assembly constituency in Hooghly district between 2011 and 2026. He lost his seat in the 2026 Assembly elections to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Prosenjit Bag by a margin of fewer than 1,000 votes. He is currently associated with the Ritabrata Banerjee-led breakaway faction within TMC — described as a 'rebel but majority' grouping — which is at odds with the Mamata Banerjee-aligned 'original but minority' wing.
About the Judicial Commission
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the formation of the judicial commission on 14 July, tasking it with investigating institutional corruption alleged to have occurred during the TMC government's tenure from 2011 to 2026. The commission is headed by retired Calcutta High Court judge Justice Biswajit Basu. A senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer is supervising the investigation, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer manages administrative functions, and a West Bengal Revenue Service officer handles technical aspects.
What Happens Next
According to sources, the panel is expected to collect relevant documents from the Singti Agricultural Cooperative Society in the coming days. The inquiry into Chakraborty's loan marks one of the first high-profile probes the commission has launched against a former minister. This comes amid a broader political reckoning in West Bengal following the BJP's return to power, with the Adhikari government signalling that scrutiny of the previous administration's institutional record will continue.
Point of View
Designed as safety nets for small farmers, being allegedly accessed by the politically connected. The intra-TMC dimension is equally telling — it was a Mamata-faction legislator, not the BJP, who first surfaced this allegation, suggesting the party's factional fault lines are now actively feeding the inquiry commission's docket. The commission's real test will be whether it pursues cases with equal rigour regardless of which TMC faction a subject belongs to, or whether it is selectively deployed as a political instrument by the Adhikari government.
NationPress
2 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the West Bengal judicial commission investigating?
The commission was constituted by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on 14 July to probe alleged institutional corruption during the TMC government's tenure from 2011 to 2026. It is headed by retired Calcutta High Court judge Justice Biswajit Basu and is now examining a specific case involving former Transport Minister Snehasis Chakraborty.
What exactly is Snehasis Chakraborty accused of?
Chakraborty is alleged to have obtained a ₹85 lakh loan from the Singti Agricultural Cooperative Society by posing as a farmer, even though only farmers are eligible for such credit. He is also accused of using his position as a Cabinet minister to facilitate a separate loan for a relative from the same society.
Who first raised the allegations against Chakraborty?
TMC legislator Kunal Ghosh, from the Beliaghata constituency in Kolkata and aligned with the Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the party, first publicly alleged the irregularity. He also questioned whether Chakraborty had been repaying the loan.
What is the current political status of Snehasis Chakraborty?
Chakraborty lost the Jangipara seat in the 2026 Assembly elections to BJP's Prosenjit Bag by fewer than 1,000 votes, ending a three-term legislative run. He is now associated with the Ritabrata Banerjee-led rebel faction within TMC, which is at odds with the Mamata Banerjee-aligned wing.
What action has been taken so far in the case?
Following Kunal Ghosh's allegations, cooperative society employees Swapan Patra and activist Ramesh Patra were arrested. The judicial commission has now formally begun its inquiry and is expected to collect documents from the Singti Agricultural Cooperative Society in the near term.
