Swarup Biswas, younger brother of former West Bengal Sports Minister Aroop Biswas, was on Friday, 6 June 2025 remanded to 14 days' police custody by a lower court in Kolkata, a day after his arrest by Kolkata Police on Thursday night. The remand order keeps him in custody until 19 June. Biswas is also an accused in the vandalism case at Yuva Bharati Krirangan in Salt Lake during Lionel Messi's GOAT India Tour on 13 December last year.

The Complaint and Charges

The arrest followed a complaint lodged by a female make-up artist associated with an organisation of make-up artists working in Bengali film, television, and OTT productions based in Tollygunge, on the southern outskirts of Kolkata. According to the complaint, Biswas allegedly extorted ₹50,000 each from around 50 persons, including the complainant, by promising them jobs in the film industry.

Biswas was booked under Section 308 (extortion) and Section 109 (attempt to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, as well as Section 25 and Section 27 of the Arms Act, 1959, relating to unlawful possession and use of firearms and ammunition.

What the Court Heard

Public Prosecutor Sourin Ghoshal argued before the lower court that, given Biswas's status as an influential person and younger brother of a former state Cabinet minister, extended police custody of 14 days was necessary for further interrogation. The judge accepted the submission and granted the remand.

Background: The Biswas Family and Tollygunge Politics

Aroop Biswas, the elder brother, represented Tollygunge in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly for four consecutive terms between 2006 and 2026 as an All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) legislator, and served as Sports Minister in the state Cabinet. He was, however, defeated in the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections earlier this year.

Swarup Biswas had served as president of the Federation of Cine Technicians and Workers of Eastern India in Kolkata for a prolonged period after the TMC came to power in West Bengal. He had long faced allegations of extorting members of the organisation he headed, according to reports.

Wider Context

This comes amid heightened scrutiny of individuals with political connections in West Bengal following the state assembly polls. The case is notable for its intersection of film-industry labour politics, alleged organised extortion, and arms-related charges — a combination that prosecutors argue warrants sustained custodial interrogation. This is not the first time Swarup Biswas has faced legal trouble; the vandalism case at Yuva Bharati Krirangan during the high-profile Messi event last December had already placed him in the public eye.

The next hearing is expected after the 14-day custody period concludes on 19 June, when the court will review the investigation's progress.