Bengal Police freeze 5 bank accounts of ex-Trinamool MLA Sabyasachi Dutta
Synopsis
West Bengal Police have frozen five bank accounts holding ₹1.70 crore belonging to ex-TMC MLA Sabyasachi Dutta — and that may be the smaller part of the story. Receipts for 50 kilograms of gold recovered from his residence have investigators eyeing two bank lockers, while his wife remains at large. A sitting municipal councillor now faces court on Wednesday as the asset trail widens.
Key Takeaways
West Bengal Police froze five bank accounts of former TMC MLA Sabyasachi Dutta on 17 June , containing combined deposits of ₹1.70 crore .
One account was held jointly with his wife Indira Dutta , who has been absconding since his arrest.
Post-arrest raids recovered receipts for the purchase of 50 kilograms of gold ; police suspect the metal is stored in two bank lockers held by the couple.
A high-end SUV registered in Indira Dutta's name and a residential flat in Dutta's name have also been identified for seizure.
Dutta was arrested on 9 June following a midnight raid on his Raigachi, Rajarhat residence, triggered by a complaint from a Salt Lake -based businessman.
Police will seek fresh custody when Dutta is produced before the Bidhannagar court on Wednesday .
West Bengal Police have frozen five bank accounts belonging to Sabyasachi Dutta, the former two-term All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) legislator from the Rajarhat-Newtown Assembly constituency in North 24 Parganas district, authorities confirmed on 17 June. Dutta, who also served as the former chairman of the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, was arrested earlier this month on charges of corruption and extortion.
What the Frozen Accounts Reveal
Of the five accounts placed under freeze, one was held jointly by Sabyasachi Dutta and his wife, Indira Dutta. The combined deposits across all five accounts stand at ₹1.70 crore, according to state police sources. The couple also holds two safe-deposit lockers at the same bank, which investigators are now seeking to access.
Investigating officers suspect that a substantial quantity of gold may be stored in those lockers. The suspicion intensified after a post-arrest raid on Dutta's residence yielded receipts indicating the purchase of 50 kilograms of gold by the former legislator — a recovery that has significantly widened the scope of the probe.
Assets Seized and Search Operations
Beyond the bank accounts, police have seized a high-end SUV registered in the name of Indira Dutta. Investigators have also identified a residential flat registered in the former MLA's name, which is expected to come under further scrutiny. On Tuesday, a search was conducted at Dutta's in-laws' house in Gaighata, also in North 24 Parganas, though nothing was seized from the premises.
The Arrest and Complaints Against Dutta
The chain of events began with a written complaint filed by a Salt Lake-based businessman, whose locality falls under the jurisdiction of the Bidhannagar City Police. Acting on the complaint, officers from Bidhannagar North Police Station raided Dutta's residence in the Raigachi area of Rajarhat after midnight on 8 June. Following a prolonged interrogation, Dutta was formally arrested on the morning of 9 June.
This was not an isolated complaint. According to police sources, several prior grievances had been registered against Dutta alleging corruption, extortion, and hooliganism in his locality. Dutta currently serves as a councillor of Ward No. 31 of the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, a position he holds even as he faces criminal proceedings.
Wife Absconding, Court Hearing Due
Investigators are simultaneously working to locate Indira Dutta, who has been absconding since her husband's arrest, state police sources said. Police are scheduled to present Sabyasachi Dutta before the Bidhannagar court on Wednesday, where they intend to apply for fresh police custody to continue the investigation. The case represents one of the more significant corruption-linked asset-seizure actions against a sitting local body representative in West Bengal in recent months.
Point of View
But the scale of alleged accumulation here — gold receipts, multiple bank accounts, a high-end vehicle, and a residential flat — points to systemic extraction rather than opportunistic graft. The fact that Dutta remains a sitting municipal councillor even after arrest raises a structural question: at what threshold does a public office-holder face suspension pending trial? That question, largely unaddressed in Bengal's local governance framework, is what this case should force into the open.
NationPress
11 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was ex-TMC MLA Sabyasachi Dutta arrested?
Sabyasachi Dutta was arrested on 9 June following a complaint by a Salt Lake-based businessman, on charges of corruption and extortion. Several prior complaints alleging corruption, extortion, and hooliganism in his locality had also been registered against him.
How much money was found in Sabyasachi Dutta's frozen bank accounts?
The five frozen bank accounts held combined deposits of ₹1.70 crore, according to police sources. One of those accounts was held jointly with his wife, Indira Dutta.
What is the significance of the 50-kilogram gold receipts?
Investigators recovered receipts for the purchase of 50 kilograms of gold during a raid on Dutta's residence after his arrest. Police suspect this gold may be stored in two safe-deposit lockers held by the couple at the same bank, and are seeking access to those lockers.
Where is Indira Dutta, the wife of the arrested ex-MLA?
Indira Dutta has been absconding since her husband's arrest on 9 June, according to state police sources. Investigators are actively working to locate her.
What happens next in the Sabyasachi Dutta case?
Police are scheduled to present Sabyasachi Dutta before the Bidhannagar court on Wednesday and will apply for fresh police custody to continue the investigation. Searches related to the identified residential flat and the bank lockers are also expected to proceed.
