West Bengal Police arrested Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and Ashoknagar-Kalyangarh Municipality Chairperson Prabodh Sarkar late on Friday night after local residents reported a fire at his residence in which official municipal documents were allegedly being destroyed. The arrest, confirmed by officials on Saturday, 13 June, has triggered a sharp political row, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleging the burning was aimed at concealing irregularities in the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) housing scheme.

How the Arrest Unfolded

Residents in the area grew suspicious after spotting flames in the garden of Sarkar's house and alerted local BJP leaders, who rushed to the scene. According to police, Sarkar allegedly refused to emerge from the locked premises despite repeated requests. Officers from the Ashoknagar Police subsequently scaled the boundary wall to gain entry. Once inside, Sarkar came out and claimed he had been burning dry leaves — an explanation that investigators are now examining.

Based on complaints filed at the scene, police took Sarkar into custody for questioning. An investigation has since been launched into the alleged destruction of official records.

What the BJP Has Alleged

BJP leaders at the site alleged that the fire consumed municipal identity cards and other government documents — not garden waste. They further claimed that Sarkar had been facing multiple allegations tied to the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana in the municipality, and that the documents were destroyed to eliminate evidence of alleged corruption and irregularities linked to the scheme. The Ashoknagar-Kalyangarh Municipality is currently under TMC governance.

Notably, the BJP has not yet provided independent documentary evidence for these specific allegations, and the claims remain contested at this stage of the investigation.

Pattern of Arrests in West Bengal

The arrest is part of a broader pattern over the past month in which several TMC leaders and councillors have been taken into custody across West Bengal on charges ranging from corruption to extortion. The state government has publicly maintained that strict action will follow any credible allegation of corruption or misuse of public office — a position that critics say has been applied selectively, while supporters frame it as a genuine anti-corruption drive.

This is the latest in a string of high-profile detentions of civic-body representatives, underscoring the intensifying political conflict between the ruling TMC and the BJP over governance accountability in the state.

Investigation Status

Police have confirmed that the probe into the alleged destruction of municipal records is ongoing. Authorities have not yet specified what, if any, documents were recovered from the site or whether forensic examination of the burnt material is being conducted. The state government has said it will act on findings once the investigation concludes.

As the inquiry deepens, the case is expected to become a flashpoint in the ongoing political battle over PMAY implementation and civic accountability in West Bengal.