Assaulted promoter alleges extortion, goes to cops
Times of India | 16 December 2024
Kolkata: A promoter has levelled allegations of extortion and assault against a Trinamool councillor and his men on Sunday. Kishor Halder turned up at Baguiati PS with a bandaged head and a blood-soaked t-shirt, alleging he was constructing a building on his property with permit from BMC but councillor of ward 9 Samaresh Chakraborty demanded Rs 50 lakh as extortion money.
Halder said he first paid Rs 20 lakh and then another Rs 3 lakh but, the councillor and his men continued to press him for more money and resorted to an assault on Sunday. TOI made multiple calls and sent text messages to the councillor seeking his reaction, but he didn't respond till late on Sunday.
"The councillor has been looting promoters for years. On Saturday, he came to my office with 20 men, threatening to make me stop work if I didn't pay. He told me to visit his office on Sunday. I didn't stop con-work and didn't visit his office. So, on Sunday, he came to my site with 30-40 men and attacked me. I was hit on my head with a pistol butt," Halder said.
Halder said he is also a TMC worker and didn't want to take the issue to cops and party seniors. But after the assault, he said he will write to the CM. Halder's wife Debosree said they want immediate intervention of cops and the CM as they have two kids.
Halder filed a written complaint against Chakraborty and his associates Babai Das, Suvendu, Gobindo Das, and others. Cops said they have started a probe and have arrested Babai Das.
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