Former West Bengal Correctional Services Minister Ujjal Biswas was arrested on Tuesday night, 9 June, after state government relief materials were recovered from his residence in Krishnanagar, Nadia district. The arrest marks the second time a former minister from the previous Mamata Banerjee-led All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) cabinet has been taken into custody on corruption-related charges since the change of government in West Bengal.

How the Arrest Unfolded

Tension gripped Krishnanagar earlier on Tuesday after relief materials — including tarpaulin sheets, according to local residents — were found stored at Biswas's home. Crowds gathered outside the residence by late evening, raising slogans and demanding accountability. Police from the local station arrived, detained Biswas, and transported him to the station. Following roughly an hour of interrogation, he was formally placed under arrest. As he was escorted out, locals reportedly shouted slogans calling him a 'thief.' Biswas has denied the charges.

Who Is Ujjal Biswas

Ujjal Biswas served as a three-time Trinamool Congress legislator from the Krishnanagar (Dakshin) assembly constituency in Nadia district between 2011 and 2026. He was defeated in the recently concluded West Bengal assembly elections by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Sadhan Ghosh by a margin of over 27,000 votes. His arrest follows that of former West Bengal Fire Services Minister Sujit Bose, who was taken into custody last month by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the multi-crore cash-for-municipalities job case.

TMC Councillors Also in the Dock

Separately, Trinamool Congress councillor of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) Sushmita Bhattacharya of Ward No. 63 was also arrested, along with her husband Salil Chatterjee, by officers of the Watgunge police station on charges of extortion. According to the police, a complaint was filed on 5 June alleging that Sushmita had extorted ₹30 lakh from an elderly man, with additional allegations of threatening the complainant. An FIR was registered on the basis of that complaint. With these arrests, the total number of TMC councillors in KMC arrested on various charges has risen to nine. Last Saturday night, police had also arrested Bappaditya Dasgupta from Patuli on extortion charges.

Pattern of Arrests Across West Bengal

The wave of detentions reflects a broader crackdown that has followed the change of government in West Bengal. Authorities have launched raids across the state, acting on a range of allegations — from extortion and illegal hoarding of government relief to past criminal complaints that had remained pending. Critics argue the pace and scale of arrests signal a systematic accountability drive, while Trinamool Congress leaders face mounting public anger in constituencies where they once held firm electoral ground. How the new administration handles due process as the number of arrests climbs will be closely watched.