Bengal: TMC councillor arrested on corruption charges
Kolkata: Kolkata Police on Wednesday night informed that Trinamool Congress councillor of ward number 42 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), Mahesh Kumar Sharma, had been arrested on charges of corruption and extortion.
According to a statement issued by the Kolkata Police, Sharma was arrested in a case filed at Burrabazar Police Station under the North Division.
There are charges against him under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (previously the Indian Penal Code). The arrested councillor faces charges of extortion and cheating.
“Kolkata Police arrests TMC councillor, Mahesh Sharma. The Ward No 42 councillor Mahesh Kumar Sharma (57), son of Late Sagar Mall Sharma, resident of 115 Cotton Street, PS-Posta, Kolkata-700007 has been arrested on 03.06.26 in connection with Burrabazar PS Case No. 05, Date-07.01.25; U/s-61(2)/132/308/308(3)/62/308(6)/352/351127/3(5)/3(6) BNS,” read the statement issued by Kolkata Police.
Earlier, several Trinamool Congress councillors of the KMC were arrested on similar corruption and extortion charges.
On Wednesday, Trinamool Congress councillor from another ward in KMC, Sachin Singh, was arrested on similar charges after local residents accused him of extortion.
On Tuesday night, Trinamool Congress councillor Arijit Das Thakur of ward number 106 was arrested following a complaint that he had extorted money by threatening promoters and shopkeepers.
Earlier in the day, former West Bengal minister Firhad Hakim resigned as the Mayor of Kolkata. According to Trinamool Congress sources, he took the decision after taking permission from party supremo and former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
On Wednesday, several Trinamool MLAs reached the state secretariat Nabanna to attend an administrative meeting at the invitation of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. Among them was Kolkata Port MLA Firhad Hakim, who resigned from the post of Mayor of Kolkata after returning from there.