Bengal TMC KMC councillors arrested: Tally hits 9 over corruption
Synopsis
Nine Trinamool Congress councillors in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation have now been arrested in a matter of days — the latest being ward 63 councillor Sushmita Bhattacharya, accused of extorting ₹30 lakh from an elderly man. The arrests, accelerating since the BJP formed a government in West Bengal, suggest a systematic reckoning with years of alleged local-level corruption.
Key Takeaways
Sushmita Bhattacharya , TMC councillor of KMC ward 63 , was arrested on 9 June along with her husband Salil Chatterjee on extortion charges.
She is alleged to have extorted ₹30 lakh from an elderly man and threatened him; an FIR was registered after a complaint filed on 5 June .
The total number of TMC councillors arrested in KMC has risen to nine .
Recent arrests also include councillors Bappaditya Dasgupta (ward 101), Mohammad Jasimuddin (ward 39, POCSO charges), and five others.
The crackdown follows the BJP forming a government in West Bengal , with police conducting raids across the state.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) councillor Sushmita Bhattacharya of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) ward number 63 was arrested on Tuesday, 9 June on alleged extortion and corruption charges, along with her husband Salil Chatterjee. The arrests, carried out by officers of Watgunge police station, pushed the total number of TMC councillors detained in the KMC to nine.
The Charges Against Sushmita Bhattacharya
According to police, a formal complaint was lodged at Watgunge police station on 5 June against Bhattacharya and Chatterjee. Based on that complaint, an FIR was registered. It is alleged that Bhattacharya extorted ₹30 lakh from an elderly man and also threatened him. Both accused were taken into custody on extortion charges.
A Mounting List of Arrests
The latest detentions follow a string of similar actions across KMC in recent days. On the preceding Saturday night, police arrested Bappaditya Dasgupta, councillor of ward number 101, from Patuli on extortion charges. The following Sunday, Mohammad Jasimuddin, councillor of ward number 39, was picked up from his residence by officers of Jorasanko police station. A case was registered against Jasimuddin under multiple sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Six additional councillors have also been arrested in Kolkata: Bishwajit Mondal (ward 114), Sudip Polle (ward 123), Sachin Singh (ward 36), Arijit Das (ward 106), and Maheshkumar Sharma (ward 42).
The Political Context: BJP Government and Crackdown
The wave of arrests follows a change of government in West Bengal, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) now in power at the state level. Since the transition, authorities have intensified action against alleged illegal and criminal activities linked to TMC leaders. Police have been conducting raids across the state, acting on complaints that range from extortion to hoarding of government relief materials.
This is not an isolated pattern — over the past month, a large number of TMC leaders and councillors across the state have faced arrest on corruption and extortion-related charges. Critics argue the crackdown reflects long-suppressed public anger that has surfaced following the political transition.
What Comes Next
With the KMC arrest tally now at nine and state-wide raids continuing, legal proceedings against the accused councillors are expected to advance in coming weeks. The scale of the crackdown signals that further arrests remain possible as police work through the backlog of filed complaints.
Point of View
Suggesting the problem was not confined to financial corruption. The BJP-led state government's aggressive posture on these arrests is politically convenient, but that does not make the underlying allegations less serious. The real question is whether the judicial process will deliver convictions, or whether the crackdown remains a political spectacle that fades once the news cycle moves on.
NationPress
25 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Sushmita Bhattacharya and why was she arrested?
Sushmita Bhattacharya is the Trinamool Congress councillor of KMC ward number 63 in Kolkata. She was arrested on 9 June along with her husband Salil Chatterjee on charges of extorting ₹30 lakh from an elderly man and threatening him, following an FIR registered at Watgunge police station.
How many TMC councillors have been arrested in the KMC so far?
As of 9 June, nine Trinamool Congress councillors in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation have been arrested. The arrests have taken place over a short span and cover charges including extortion, corruption, and POCSO violations.
Why are TMC leaders being arrested in West Bengal?
The arrests follow the Bharatiya Janata Party forming a government in West Bengal, after which police began acting on a backlog of complaints against TMC leaders. Allegations include extortion, hoarding of government relief materials, and other criminal charges that had reportedly accumulated over years.
What charges does councillor Mohammad Jasimuddin face?
Mohammad Jasimuddin, councillor of KMC ward 39, was arrested and faces charges under multiple sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. He was picked up from his residence by Jorasanko police station officers.
Which other KMC councillors have been arrested recently?
Recent arrests include Bappaditya Dasgupta (ward 101), Mohammad Jasimuddin (ward 39), Bishwajit Mondal (ward 114), Sudip Polle (ward 123), Sachin Singh (ward 36), Arijit Das (ward 106), and Maheshkumar Sharma (ward 42), in addition to Sushmita Bhattacharya.
