Bengal Police Arrest Former TMC Leader in Murder, Extortion Cases
Kolkata, October 31: Police in West Bengal have arrested Debraj Pal, popularly known as Debu, a former Trinamool Congress leader from Mogra in Hooghly district. He has been booked again in several cases, including murder and extortion. Police shared details of the arrest on Saturday.
A single-shot pistol was seized from him during the operation. Debu was earlier associated with a murder case during the Trinamool Congress's previous period in government and had served time in jail.
Debu lives in Triveni Kalitala, under the jurisdiction of Mogra police station. He had served as the president of the Trinamool Congress unit in Banshberia Nagar. His name surfaced in multiple controversies during the TMC's tenure. He also operates a hotel near STKK Road in Kalitala.
On Friday night, Balagarh police station arrested him from STKK Road. Prior to his court appearance, he was examined at the Jirat Shyamprasad Mukherjee Rural Hospital. He was later produced before the Chinsurah court, which ordered police custody.
A senior police officer said that several cases, including murder and extortion, are registered against him.
According to local people, Debu had stayed away from the Trinamool Congress after his time in jail. However, he had become active again since the last assembly elections and had campaigned for the party in different election campaigns. Now, a case of illegal arms possession has been filed against him at Mogra police station. Police said the arrest was made in connection with this case, as well as the earlier murder and extortion cases.
Since the government changed after the state assembly elections, police have arrested many Trinamool Congress leaders, former ministers and councillors on charges such as extortion, assault, molestation and threats. In most cases, angry people threw eggs at these leaders while they were being taken away by police. On several occasions, crowds also shouted 'chor-chor' slogans at arrested Trinamool leaders while pelting them with eggs.