TMC councillor arrested after kidnapping Tripura businessman thrice for ransom

A civic body councillor from West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) was arrested by the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) from his residence at Barasat in North 24 Parganas district on Thursday night in connection with the kidnapping of a Tripura-based businessman thrice since 2022, police officials said.

Milan Sardar, the councillor from Ward No 2 of Barasat municipality, was produced before a local court on Thursday afternoon.

CID officials claimed that seven people arrested a few days ago for the kidnappings told investigators during interrogation that Sardar provided hideouts for the gang after every operation and took the major share of the ransom.

Among the seven criminals arrested, one is Somnath Samaddar, a former state police constable who was sacked in 2013 on disciplinary grounds, officials said.

The victim was rescued from a guest house a few days ago after he was kidnapped for the third time. The CID did not disclose his name citing security issues.

“The victim frequently visits Bengal and owns properties here. He was kidnapped by the same gang in 2022 and 2023 as well. He paid a total sum of around ₹9 crore on those occassions. He was kidnapped again two weeks ago from his apartment in the district’s Khardah area and kept at a guest house on Jessore Road. Instead of paying the ₹2.25 crore ransom the gang demanded this time, his family approached the administration,” a police official said on condition of anonymity.

“The investigation indicates that bulk of the ransom money went to Sardar and he used it to buy property and an expensive car,” the official added.

Kakali Ghosh Dastidar, the TMC Lok Sabha member from Barasat constituency and president of the party’s district unit, said Sardar was summarily expelled after his arrest.

“He has been expelled from the party for his actions,” she said.

The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded Sardar’s expulsion from the municipal board and fresh election at Ward No 2.

Former state BJP president Dilip Ghosh said: “If the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Sardar, then TMC would have surely said that Centre is conspiring against it. Many TMC leaders are involved in criminal activities but only a few are taken to task.”