Overview
- Police arrested Tirthankar Ghosh from Dakshineswar on Monday after tracing his mobile phone and acting on a tip-off that he had been absconding.
- A Barrackpore court remanded him to six days of police custody after he was produced, and protesters hurled eggs at him outside the court.
- Authorities have booked Tirthankar on multiple charges that include alleged post-2021 poll violence, extortion, assault, attempted murder, illegal display of firearms and the forcible snatching of a prize-winning Dear Lottery ticket reportedly worth ₹1 crore.
- Former MLA Nirmal Ghosh remains wanted in the same inquiries and has filed a petition in the Calcutta High Court seeking protection from arrest while a separate central-agency probe into the RG Kar cremation allegation continues.
- Police have already arrested alleged co-conspirators, including hotel owner Sushanta Sarkar and councillor Jayanta Das, and the case is likely to prompt further inquiries and political fallout in Panihati.