Hooghly land fraud: Ex-Bengal minister's aide arrested in Singur
Synopsis
A contractor from Singur with close ties to former West Bengal minister Becharam Manna has been arrested for allegedly selling a dead man's land in 2014 — a complaint first filed in 2017 that reportedly went nowhere under the previous government. The fresh arrest, triggered after a change of power in Bengal, raises pointed questions about political patronage and delayed justice.
Key Takeaways
Arnab Sinha Roy , a contractor from Singur in Hooghly district , was arrested on 13 September 2026 on charges of fraudulent land sale.
He is a close aide of former West Bengal minister Becharam Manna and his wife Karabi Manna , according to local sources.
The alleged fraud involved selling land belonging to Tarapada Mandal , who died in 2001 , without the consent of his heirs — reportedly in 2014 .
A complaint was first lodged by Tarapada's sons in 2017 ; a fresh complaint by son Vishwanath Mandal after the change of government led to the current arrest.
Arnab was produced before the Chandannagar Sub-district Court under a non-bailable section; he denied all charges, calling them a 'political conspiracy'.
The BJP stated Arnab held no TMC post, attributing his influence solely to his proximity to the former minister.
Police in West Bengal's Hooghly district on Sunday, 13 September 2026, arrested Arnab Sinha Roy, a contractor from Singur and alleged close aide of former state minister Becharam Manna, on charges of fraudulently selling land belonging to a deceased resident's family. The arrest follows a fresh complaint lodged after the recent change of government in West Bengal.
Background to the Case
According to the complaint, a resident of Jhankari village in the Bara area under Singur police station, Tarapada Mandal, died in 2001. It is alleged that Arnab Sinha Roy fraudulently sold Tarapada's property in 2014, depriving his heirs of their inheritance. Tarapada's sons first lodged a complaint in 2017, claiming they had approached then MLA and state minister Becharam Manna, but no action was taken at the time.
Following the change of government in West Bengal this year, one of Tarapada's sons, Vishwanath Mandal, filed a fresh complaint with the police. Based on the information gathered, police arrested two individuals earlier, and subsequently arrested Arnab Sinha Roy as well.
Accused Produced Before Court
Arnab Sinha Roy was produced before the Chandannagar Sub-district Court on Sunday after the case was registered under a non-bailable section. While being escorted to court, Arnab reportedly denied the charges, stating that all allegations against him were false and that he had been framed through a political conspiracy.
Political Connections Under Scrutiny
According to local sources, Arnab maintained close ties with former minister Becharam Manna and his wife Karabi Manna, allegedly leveraging this proximity to secure a contractor position under the Public Works Department through the Zilla Parishad. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) clarified that Arnab held no official post within the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), attributing his influence entirely to his personal closeness to the former minister. Critics allege that this proximity shielded him from accountability even when complaints were filed against him during the previous government's tenure.
Complainant's Account
Complainant Vishwanath Mandal said: 'About 90 per cent of our family's land has been sold illegally through fraud. There are other instances where land belonging to common man were similarly captured by immoral means. We want our land back.' His statement points to a potentially wider pattern of land fraud in the area beyond his family's specific grievance.
What Comes Next
With the case now before the Chandannagar Sub-district Court under a non-bailable charge, Arnab faces the prospect of continued custody unless bail is granted. The BJP has signalled political interest in the case, and the fresh complaint mechanism following the state's change of government suggests authorities may pursue related cases. Scrutiny is likely to intensify around former minister Becharam Manna's role, if any, in the alleged inaction over the original 2017 complaint.
Point of View
Only to be acted upon after a new government came to power. The BJP's careful distancing, clarifying that Arnab held no formal TMC post, is tactically astute but obscures the more important question: how did an informal intermediary allegedly acquire enough cover to evade legal action for over a decade? West Bengal's post-election governance shift is now producing a stream of such cases, and the pattern risks becoming selectively punitive rather than systematically just. The real accountability test is whether investigations proceed regardless of which political camp the accused once served.
NationPress
13 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Arnab Sinha Roy and why was he arrested?
Arnab Sinha Roy is a contractor from Singur in West Bengal's Hooghly district and an alleged close aide of former state minister Becharam Manna. He was arrested on 13 September 2026 on charges of fraudulently selling land that belonged to a deceased resident, Tarapada Mandal, reportedly in 2014.
What is the connection between Arnab Sinha Roy and Becharam Manna?
According to local sources, Arnab maintained close personal ties with former minister Becharam Manna and his wife Karabi Manna. The BJP has stated he held no official Trinamool Congress post, but allegedly used his proximity to Manna to obtain a contractor role under the Public Works Department through the Zilla Parishad.
Why was action not taken on the complaint filed in 2017?
Tarapada Mandal's sons lodged a complaint in 2017 and claimed they approached then MLA and minister Becharam Manna, but nothing was done. Critics allege that the accused's closeness to the minister in power at the time shielded him from accountability, though no formal finding has been made on this.
What did complainant Vishwanath Mandal say about the land fraud?
Vishwanath Mandal, one of Tarapada Mandal's sons, said that about 90 per cent of his family's land was sold illegally through fraud and called for its return. He also suggested other residents had suffered similar land grabs, indicating the case may extend beyond his family alone.
What legal proceedings are underway after the arrest?
Arnab Sinha Roy was produced before the Chandannagar Sub-district Court on 13 September 2026 after a case was registered under a non-bailable section. Two other individuals were also arrested in connection with the same complaint before Arnab's arrest. The case is now before the court.
