ED arrests close aide of ex-TMC MLA in connection to illegal land grabbing

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday (September 15, 2026) arrested a businessman, a close aide to the ex-Trinamool Congress MLA Dabsish Kumar, in connection to a case of occupying lands and properties illegally.

The accused identified as Amit Ganguly has about 23 FIRs on his name lodged by the West Bengal Police, majorly in South 24 Parganas and other neighbouring districts. Most of these cases are of repeated involvements in criminal activities to deal with properties through fraudulent and unlawful means. 

According to the ED officials, Mr. Ganguly was summoned at the ED office for an interrogation on Tuesday (September 15, 2026). He was later arrested as he failed to give satisfying responses to the investigators’ queries. 

“Amit Ganguly acquired control over properties belonging to different individuals and entities through a variety of unlawful methods. These methods include the use of forged Board Resolutions, fabricated agreements for sale containing forged signatures, fabricated deeds and other documents, manipulation of land records, institution of civil proceedings on false or fabricated claims, denial of the lawful entitlements of landowners, and the use of threats and physical force against persons seeking their legitimate rights,” said an ED official. 

Ahead of the State Assembly election, the agency has conducted a raid at Mr. Ganguly’s place in regard to the same case in March. They also questioned the MLA the next day.

Mr. Kumar was a TMC MLA from the Rasbehari constituency in Kolkata and also served as the mayor-in-council in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. However, he lost to the BJP Minister Swapan Dasgupta in the latest election in May. 

Tuesday’s development comes only a week after the West Bengal police also arrested Mr. Kumar’s other close associate, Ashok Das, from Kolkata’s Rasbehari Avenue, for allegedly forging documents, extorting and cheating, and issuing threats to take control of a city club.

Hundreds of local-level Trinamool leaders and former and sitting MLAs, including Debo Prasad Bag, Sabyasachi Dutta, and Tapan Chattopadhyay, have been arrested after the change of regime in West Bengal on allegations of corruption and extortion.