Law enforcement authorities in West Bengal have detained former Trinamool Congress legislator Ajit Maity from West Medinipur district in connection with a decade-old extortion complaint. The high-profile arrest has created ripples across local political circles, as investigators act on allegations dating back several years. According to police officials, the former MLA from Pingla was picked up in the early hours from his residence situated near the Madpur railway station. Following the apprehension, he was immediately transported to the Debra police station, where he is currently being held under police custody.
Formal Complaint Lodged at Pingla Police Station
The legal action stems from a formal complaint filed by Bharatiya Janata Party leader Gobinda दास at the Pingla police station on September 23. Acting upon this specific grievance, the police initiated formal proceedings that culminated in today's arrest. The complainant detailed events tracing back to 2016, a period when he served as the Trinamool Congress president for the Jamna region within the Pingla-II block.
Allegations of Financial Malpractice and False Promises
According to the allegations leveled by Gobinda दास, Ajit Maity had promised to secure him the position of the party's block president. In exchange for this political elevation, Maity allegedly extracted a sum of Rs 15 lakh from him. The complainant stated that despite handing over the money, the promised designation was never materialized. When he subsequently demanded a refund of his money, Maity reportedly subjected him to continuous harassment and intimidation.
Political Background and Recent Electoral Defeat
Ajit Maity currently holds the position of vice-chairman of the West Medinipur Zilla Parishad and has previously served as the district president of the Trinamool Congress for numerous years. He secured a victory from the Pingla assembly constituency during the 2021 West Bengal assembly elections. However, during the assembly elections held earlier this year, the Trinamool Congress renominated him from the same seat, but he suffered a defeat at the hands of BJP candidate Swagata Manna by a margin exceeding 18,000 votes.
Party Realignment and Local Absence
In the wake of subsequent divisions within the Trinamool Congress, Ajit Maity chose to remain aligned with the faction led by Mamata Banerjee, who subsequently appointed him as the president of the Ghatal organizational district committee. Local residents have reported that Maity had largely remained out of public view in the area since the announcement of the assembly election results in May.
