A local Trinamool Congress leader, Ramesh Patra, being arrested recently for alleged fraud, in Hooghly.
| Photo Credit: ANI
Kolkata As the crackdown on Trinamool Congress leaders continues in West Bengal, many of them have found themselves on the wrong side of the law over allegations of hoarding and diverting government relief materials meant for disaster-hit residents. While some of them have been arrested, others face protests by locals.Among the latest incidents, a large quantity of blankets, tarpaulins, clothes, rice, and wheat was allegedly recovered from locked Eastern Coalfields Limited quarters linked to TMC leader Udeep Singh in the Jamuria coal mine area of Pashchim Bardhaman district on Thursday (June 4 ). On the same day, recoveries of relief materials were reportedly made from the residence of former Trinamool Minister Giasuddin Molla in Usti, South 24 Parganas district. Soon after the recoveries, locals started protesting outside the house and shouted “thief, thief”. Former party MLA Narendranath Chakraborty from the Pandabeswar Assembly constituency in Paschim Bardhaman also came under fire after tarpaulins, clothes, and food items were allegedly found in a godown right beside his residence during a search operation by police. The recoveries, also on Thursday, led to protests by locals. “We never got any relief materials even though there is so much in stock,” an agitated resident told media persons.In a similar incident on May 31, locals alleged that they recovered a huge quantity of relief supplies from the office of Trinamool Congress MP Bapi Halder in Mathurapur, South 24 Parganas. Protesters vandalised his office after the recovery. Similar recoveries of relief materials have also been reported from Katwa, Dum Dum, Bhatpara, Bidhannagar, Khejuri, Diamond Harbour, and several other places across the State.Among those arrested in connection with the alleged hoarding and diversion of relief materials are Baduria Municipality chairman Dipankar Bhattacharya, Patharpratima Trinamool Congress regional president Gautam Aari, former Purbasthali North MLA Tapan Chatterjee, Asansol Municipal Corporation councillor Tarun Chakraborty, and Nabadwip Municipality chairman Biman Krishna Saha. Many leaders also faced public outrage during police action, with crowds shouting “chor, chor” (thief, thief) slogans. In many places, BJP supporters also staged protests.In the past month, several Trinamool leaders and workers have come under investigation following the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) rise to power in West Bengal after 15 years of Trinamool Congress rule. Allegations against them range from corruption and intimidation to violence and more.However, the alleged hoarding of relief materials in a State like West Bengal, which is frequently hit by tropical cyclones and monsoon flooding, has led to massive criticism in political circles. Published - June 06, 2026 05:09 pm IST
