Four people, including Govinda Kar — brother-in-law of former All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA and district president Ajit Maity — have been arrested in Kharagpur, West Bengal, in connection with an alleged job fraud case, police confirmed on Thursday, 1 October 2026. Maity himself has already been in police custody since Tuesday in connection with the same case.

Who Was Arrested and When

Officers from Kharagpur Local Police Station arrested Govinda Kar from his residence in Madpur on Thursday. Simultaneously, police also took into custody Maity's driver, Amal Bhuiyan, and an associate, Pranab Mandal alias Saheb, a resident of Maity's native village Fulgeriya. During Kar's arrest, investigators recovered cash and several gold ornaments from the premises. A separate raid at Mandal's residence on Wednesday morning yielded important documents and a laptop, according to police.

The Fraud Allegation

According to police, Ajit Maity allegedly accepted ₹5 lakh from a complainant in 2025 with a promise of securing a job for the complainant's wife in the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). The employment never materialised, and when the complainant sought a refund, he was reportedly threatened. On 26 September, the complainant lodged a written complaint with Kharagpur Local Police Station, triggering the series of arrests. This is at least the second case involving Maity — he had previously been granted bail in a separate matter in Pingla.

Court Proceedings

All three newly arrested accused — Kar, Bhuiyan, and Mandal — were produced before the Midnapore Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Court on Thursday. Public Prosecutor Syed Nazim Habib told the court that two days of police custody were granted for all three, in the case registered under sections relating to alleged job fraud and non-return of money. Defence counsel Mrinal Chowdhury said Ajit Maity is scheduled to appear before the court again on 3 October. All three co-accused will remain in police custody until that date, per the court's order.

Political and Regional Context

The case adds to a pattern of job-related fraud allegations that have periodically surfaced in West Bengal, including earlier controversies involving alleged irregularities in state government recruitment. Notably, this incident implicates a former legislator and sitting district-level functionary of the ruling TMC, intensifying political scrutiny. Critics argue that accountability mechanisms in public-sector recruitment require strengthening to deter such alleged abuses of influence.

What Happens Next

With the police custody remand running until 3 October, investigators are expected to probe the full extent of the alleged fraud network, particularly the documents and laptop seized from Mandal's premises. The case will be closely watched for further political ramifications in the run-up to local political activity in West Bengal.