Third gun found at TMC ex-MLA Biswajit Das's home, driver held in North 24 Parganas
Synopsis
A country-made gun found in the garden of former TMC MLA Biswajit Das's home — allegedly thrown there by his own driver to hide it from police — marks the third firearm recovered in two days from the ex-legislator's premises in North 24 Parganas. With both Das and driver Keramat Mandal now in custody and a seven-day remand sought, investigators are probing how a sitting political functionary allegedly stockpiled illegal weapons in a district with a long history of electoral violence.
Key Takeaways
West Bengal Police arrested driver Keramat Mandal on Tuesday, 29 September 2026 after a third country-made firearm and live bullets were recovered from the garden of former TMC MLA Biswajit Das .
Police allege Mandal removed the weapon from Das's car and threw it into the garden to conceal it from investigators.
Both Das and Mandal were produced before the Bangaon Sub-divisional Court ; police sought seven days custody of each.
Das was first arrested a day earlier after firearms were recovered from his house and car in North 24 Parganas .
Das had switched parties twice — from TMC to BJP and back to TMC — and most recently lost the 2026 Assembly election from Bangaon to BJP's Ashok Kirtania .
Investigators are still working to establish the origin of the weapons and the motive behind alleged illegal possession.
West Bengal Police on Tuesday arrested the driver of former All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Biswajit Das after a third firearm — a country-made gun along with live ammunition — was recovered from the garden at the rear of the ex-legislator's residence in North 24 Parganas district. The discovery came a day after Das himself was taken into custody following an earlier haul of weapons from his house and car.
How the Third Recovery Unfolded
A team from Gopalnagar police station visited Das's residence late on Monday night and conducted a search of the garden behind the property. During the operation, officers recovered a country-made firearm and several live rounds. Investigators said suspicion first fell on the driver, Keramat Mandal, after Das was taken to the police station and Mandal was observed returning to the premises in Das's car.
According to police, Mandal unlocked the house, entered, and re-emerged after a short while — movements that prompted investigators to question him. During interrogation, police alleged that Mandal admitted the firearm and bullets had been kept on the dashboard of Das's car; he allegedly removed the weapon and ammunition from the vehicle and threw them into the garden before officers could find them there.
Arrests and Court Proceedings
Mandal was subsequently arrested on charges of alleged illegal possession of firearms. Both Das and Mandal were produced before the Bangaon Sub-divisional Court on Tuesday. Police sought seven days of custody for both accused to facilitate further questioning. Investigators are now examining the circumstances surrounding all three recoveries, and are attempting to establish the origin of the firearms and why they were allegedly in Das's possession.
Biswajit Das: A Chequered Political Journey
Das entered electoral politics with the TMC and won the Bangaon Uttar Assembly seat in 2011, retaining it in 2016. Following the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) strong showing in West Bengal during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he switched allegiance and joined the BJP ahead of the 2021 Assembly polls, winning from Bagdah on a BJP ticket.
He subsequently returned to the TMC after meeting Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and was later given charge of the party's Bangaon organisational district. In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, Das contested the Bangaon seat against BJP's Shantanu Thakur but was defeated. The TMC fielded him again in the 2026 Assembly election, where he lost to BJP candidate Ashok Kirtania.
Broader Context
The serial recoveries over two consecutive days raise pointed questions about illegal arms networks in the politically sensitive North 24 Parganas belt, a region that has seen recurring electoral violence and allegations of weapons stockpiling by political actors across party lines. Notably, this is the second high-profile firearms case involving a West Bengal political figure in recent months. Police have not yet indicated whether the weapons are linked to any specific criminal or political conspiracy, and the investigation is ongoing.
Point of View
Moving from TMC to BJP and back, make it harder to pin institutional responsibility on any single organisation, which is precisely the kind of ambiguity that allows such networks to persist. The critical question investigators have not yet answered is whether the weapons were stockpiled for personal protection, electoral intimidation, or something more organised. Until the origin of the arms is established, the case will remain as much a political embarrassment as a criminal one.
NationPress
29 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Keramat Mandal arrested in the Biswajit Das firearms case?
Keramat Mandal, the driver of former TMC MLA Biswajit Das, was arrested after police alleged he removed a country-made firearm and live bullets from Das's car and threw them into the garden behind Das's residence to conceal them from investigators. He was charged with alleged illegal possession of firearms.
How many firearms have been recovered from Biswajit Das's premises?
At least three firearms have been recovered over two consecutive days — two from Das's house and car on Monday, and a third country-made gun along with live rounds from the garden at the rear of his residence on Tuesday, 29 September 2026.
Who is Biswajit Das and what is his political background?
Biswajit Das is a former legislator from North 24 Parganas who won the Bangaon Uttar Assembly seat on a TMC ticket in 2011 and 2016, later joined the BJP and won from Bagdah in 2021, then returned to the TMC. He lost the 2026 Assembly election from Bangaon to BJP's Ashok Kirtania.
What happens next in the case?
Both Das and his driver Mandal have been remanded to police custody for seven days by the Bangaon Sub-divisional Court. Investigators are examining the origin of the weapons and the circumstances of all three recoveries to determine whether a larger criminal or political network is involved.
Why is North 24 Parganas significant in this context?
North 24 Parganas is a politically sensitive district in West Bengal that has historically recorded high levels of electoral violence and allegations of weapons stockpiling by political actors. The serial firearms recoveries from a former MLA's home add to longstanding concerns about the nexus between illegal arms and electoral politics in the region.
