Kolkata, Sep 29 (IANS): The West Bengal Police on Tuesday arrested the driver of former Trinamool Congress MLA Biswajit Das after another country-made firearm and live bullets were recovered from the garden behind the former legislator’s residence in North 24 Parganas district.
The arrest of the driver, Keramat Mandal, came a day after Das, the former Bangaon Uttar MLA, was taken into custody following the recovery of firearms from his house and car.
The police said the latest recovery was made after investigators questioned Mandal. A team from Gopalnagar police station visited Das’ residence late on Monday night and searched the garden located behind the house. During the search, the officers found a country-made firearm and several live rounds.
According to investigators, suspicion fell on Mandal after Das was taken to the police station. The police said that the driver returned to the former MLA’s residence in Das’ car, unlocked the house and entered the premises. He reportedly emerged after a short while, prompting the investigators to question his movements.
During interrogation, the police alleged, Mandal admitted that the firearm and bullets had been kept on the dashboard of Das’ car. He allegedly removed the weapon and ammunition from the vehicle and threw them into the garden before returning.
Mandal was subsequently arrested in connection with the alleged illegal possession of firearms. Das and his driver were produced before the Bangaon Sub-divisional Court on Tuesday.
The police sought seven days’ custody of both accused for further questioning.
Investigators are now examining the circumstances surrounding the recovery of the weapons.
They are also trying to establish where the firearms came from and why they were allegedly kept in Das’ possession.
Das entered electoral politics with the Trinamool Congress and won the Bangaon Uttar Assembly seat in 2011. He retained the constituency in 2016. Following the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) strong performance in West Bengal in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he shifted political allegiance and joined the BJP ahead of the 2021 Assembly polls.
Das contested the 2021 election from Bagdah on a BJP ticket and won. He subsequently returned to the TMC after meeting Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and was later given charge of the party’s Bangaon organisational district.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, Das contested the Bangaon seat against BJP’s Shantanu Thakur but was defeated. He was fielded again by the TMC in the 2026 Assembly election, but lost to BJP candidate Ashok Kirtania.
