Bengal: TMC leader Ajit Maity arrested for extortion
What's the story
Ajit Maity, a leader of the Mamata All India Trinamool Congress, was arrested on Friday, The Hindu reported. The arrest was made by the Pingla police on charges of taking money from a person named Gautam Das. Das alleged that Maity had promised him a party post in exchange for money.
Career overview
Arrest for political reasons, says Maity
Maity was arrested from his Kharagpur residence and taken to Debra police station. He is currently the vice-president of Midnapore Zilla Parishad.
In the 2021 assembly elections, he won from the Pingla constituency but lost to a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate in 2026.
Before his arrest, Maity said, "This arrest is for political reasons. I have faith in the police and administration."
Arrests continue
Resignations and arrests of TMC leaders in Bengal
The arrest of Maity comes amid a spate of resignations, desertions, and arrests of Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders in West Bengal.
Since the BJP came to power in May 2026, several former TMC MLAs and leaders supporting Banerjee have been arrested on charges including violence, extortion, and intimidation.
However, those who defected to rebel factions in both the State Assembly and Lok Sabha have not been arrested, giving fodder to Banerjee's loyalists, who say that the arrests are politically motivated.