West Bengal: Former TMC Candidate Tirthankar Ghosh Detained for Lottery and Extortion Charges

Kolkata, July 13 — Law enforcement officials arrested Tirthankar Ghosh, a former Trinamool Congress contestor from the Panihaati seat in Uttar 24 Parganas, on allegations of involvement in a lottery scam, forced extortion and intimidation with firearms.

The police narrative states that Ghosh, who had been absconding for an extended period, was located after an informant provided crucial details. He is accused of coercing a lottery winner to hand over roughly one crore rupees under the threat of armed assault, as well as engaging in other unlawful activities aimed at terrorising civilians.

Ghosh is the offspring of senior TMC leader Nirmal Ghosh, who acted as the party’s chief whip during the previous Mamata Banerjee government. Both father and son were previously mentioned in complaints following the 2021 assembly elections, when a local driver alleged they seized a lottery prize by force.

The accused will be taken before the Uttar 24 Parganas District Court on Monday, where a government attorney is expected to seek his continued custody under police supervision.

During the 2021 polls, Tirthankar Ghosh was fielded by the TMC in place of his father but fell short against BJP’s Ratna Debnath by more than 28,000 votes. The latest development adds to the series of controversies surrounding the Ghosh family’s political trajectory.