Video: ₹2cr cash, gold found buried near TMC leader's field
What's the story
West Bengal police have unearthed a massive cache of cash, gold and important documents from a jute field near the farmhouse of arrested Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Dipankar Bhattacharya. The recovery was made after Bhattacharya's arrest on Tuesday when he was found with ₹80 lakh in cash and around 4,000 tarpaulin sheets, allegedly meant for relief distribution, at his residence in Punra, Baduria. He has been remanded to six days' police custody by a Basirhat court.
Twitter Post
Cash were kept in sacks
Basirhat, West Bengal: The police arrested Baduria Municipality Chairman Dipankar Bhattacharya on charges of embezzlement of funds from various state government projects. After producing him before the court and interrogating him in custody, the police recovered a large amount of… pic.twitter.com/osfFyMtskD
— IANS (@ians_india) May 27, 2026
Arrests
Locals noticed unusual late-night activities
The drama began on May 24, when locals noticed unusual late-night activities at his property. As the police searched the TMC party office and the farmhouse, they discovered approximately 4,000 tarpaulin sheets and ₹80 lakh in cash. Bhattacharya and his associates had already escaped by then. A full-scale investigation was initiated after the BJP filed a formal complaint against Bhattacharya on Monday. Bhattacharya managed to avoid the cops but he was caught on Tuesday in a hotel.
Discovery details
Cash found buried in jute field
Police said the latest recovery of ₹2.24 crore in cash and gold was made based on information the TMC leader gave during interrogation. Investigators took the chairman to the jute field, where he identified the spots where the cash was buried. Several sacks and trolley bags filled with ₹500 denomination notes were recovered during the operation, which lasted for several hours. Drones were also deployed to search nearby fields for any additional hidden cash or materials.
Allegations made
BJP alleges money came from extortion, housing scheme funds
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has alleged that the money recovered from Bhattacharya's farmhouse came from extortion and siphoning off housing scheme funds. Bengal minister Dilip Ghosh also commented on the incident, saying, "Not everyone is Partha Chatterjee who can keep money in his girlfriend's flat." The TMC has been facing internal dissent, with nearly 100 councilors resigning recently.
Related arrests
TMC zilla parishad member, brother held with cash, weapons
In a related incident, Trinamool Congress zilla parishad member Ajit Saha and his brother Sujit Kumar Saha were arrested on Tuesday night. A raid at their residence in Maslandapur near Gobardanga led to the recovery of a 7mm pistol, an airgun, ammunition, and ₹27 lakh in cash. The brothers were remanded to seven days' police custody after being produced in a Barasat court on Wednesday afternoon.