KOLKATA: Former Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) chairperson Sabyasachi Dutta, who also served as a Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA for two terms, was subjected to a public humiliation when he was pelted with eggs, cow dung, and tomatoes outside the Bidhannagar North police station. This incident occurred shortly after his arrest early on Tuesday on charges of extortion.
Details of the Arrest
Police officials revealed that a businessman from Salt Lake, Madhusudhan Chakraborty, had filed a complaint alleging that Dutta demanded Rs 1 crore from him in 2018. According to the complaint, a portion of this amount was subsequently paid. An officer stated, "Dutta has been arrested based on that complaint." Dutta, who ceased to be the BMC chairperson after the civic board was dissolved on June 6, strongly denied the allegations while speaking to the media after his arrest.
"Why just Rs 1 crore? They could have said Rs 100 crore. If they can prove I took even a single rupee, they can hang me," he said defiantly.
Sequence of Events Leading to Arrest
The chain of events that led to the arrest began at 7:30 pm on Monday, when a police team visited Dutta's flat in Rajarhat for questioning. An officer explained, "As Dutta was inconsistent in his replies, he was brought to Bidhannagar North police station around 10 pm. He was questioned until 1 am and arrested half an hour later." The questioning was based on CCTV footage submitted by the businessman.
Dutta countered by saying, "The complainant was arrested in 2018... His family and an aide came to me to arrange for his bail." His lawyers argued that the arrest was illegal, questioning, "How could he be arrested even before an FIR was registered? The FIR is dated June 9."
However, police told the court that Dutta had demanded Rs 1 crore from the complainant, with a part of it paid. "It was collected through Gullu, who is absconding," said a lawyer for Bidhannagar police. The court remanded Dutta to police custody for eight days.
Public Outrage and Political Reactions
As Dutta was being taken to court, a crowd gathered and hurled eggs, cow dung, and tomatoes, some of which landed on police officers and the vehicle. At the court premises, another group shouted "chor, chor" (thief, thief). Minister Sharadwat Mukherjee commented, "Dutta was one of the biggest pillars of corruption in Bidhannagar. His arrest was sudden but not unexpected."
Political Career Background
Dutta's political journey began when he became a TMC councillor of Bidhannagar Municipality in 2000. He later became the BMC mayor in 2015. In 2019, he resigned as mayor and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He contested as a BJP candidate from Bidhannagar in 2021 but lost to TMC's Sujit Bose. Subsequently, he returned to TMC and was appointed BMC chairperson.
