A major development unfolded in West Bengal as Trinamool Congress legislator Paresh Ram Das was apprehended by law enforcement officers at the Kolkata airport. A special operations squad from the Baruipur police division in the South 24 Parganas district executed the operation on a Monday afternoon. The elected representative from the Canning Paschim assembly constituency had been evading authorities for a considerable duration. He arrived at the facility intending to board a flight bound for Mumbai when the police team intercepted and detained him.
Transit and Upcoming Court Appearance
Following the apprehension, law enforcement officials initiated procedures to transport the legislator back to the Baruipur area within the South 24 Parganas district. According to police statements, he is scheduled to be presented before a court on Tuesday. The representative had reportedly remained untraceable for approximately 17 days prior to this development. The specialized police unit successfully cornered him just as he reached the aviation hub to catch an outbound flight to Mumbai.
Severe Criminal Charges and Legal Sections
The politician faces a multitude of grave accusations registered across various police records. Law enforcement details show that complaints encompassing rape, physical assault, cheating, criminal conspiracy, extortion, and intimidation have been filed against him. A formal case was registered at the Canning police station under sections 376, 323, 420, 120B, and 506 of the Indian Penal Code on September 5. These legal proceedings also incorporate allegations linked to instances of violence that erupted following the elections.
CID Summons and Evasion Tactics
Investigating authorities from the CID had previously issued two summonses to the legislator regarding the ongoing rape investigation. Although he made an appearance before investigators on one occasion, the explanations provided during the questioning were deemed unsatisfactory. Subsequently, he vanished abruptly during the final week of October. Police forces even conducted a raid at his residence in Canning during the search, resulting in the detention of four local party workers, though the main accused managed to elude capture at that time.
Investigators suspected that the legislator devised the trip to Mumbai specifically to escape further interrogation. Nevertheless, police managed to intercept him at the Kolkata airport prior to departure.
Reactions and Statements from Party Figures
The high-profile arrest triggered political reactions, including an audio statement from party leader Kunal Ghosh. He questioned the timing of the action, alleging that the legislator faced no arrests while associated with a rival faction, but was apprehended shortly after reaffirming his loyalty to Mamata Banerjee.
