Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 8 (ANI): Former Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Jahangir Khan, who was wanted in several cases of Falta PS under Diamond Harbour PD, was arrested on Monday at around 2:30 PM from Panitanki Bazar under Kharibari PS by West Bengal Special Task Force (STF) in a joint raid with the Darjeeling Police team.

Panitanki Bazar is a town area located in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal, situated near the border with Nepal.

Jahangir Khan previously contested from the Falta Assembly in the West Bengal Assembly elections last month, but announced his withdrawal from the election before the repolling, which was held on May 21. The TMC termed it a 'betrayal' while BJP leaders took jibes at him for 'running away'. The re-elections recorded a victory for the BJP as the party's candidate, Debangshu Panda, secured a massive win with a margin of 1,09,021 votes against Communist Party of India (Marxist) candidate Sambhu Nath Kurmi.

Following Jahangir Khan's arrest, West Bengal Minister Agnimitra Paul reiterated that anyone who harmed the citizens of West Bengal would not be spared. 'Whether he is Pushpa or anyone else, those who have tortured and oppressed the people of Bengal have never been spared,' she said to reporters.

This comes after investigative agencies arrested several Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders on June 4, in a major crackdown across multiple corruption-related cases in West Bengal.

TMC leader Tilak Kumar Chakraborty was arrested in connection with an alleged job fraud case in Haldia, Purba Medinipur. Following his arrest, he was taken to Basulia Rural Hospital for a mandatory medical examination.

In a separate case, Kolkata Police arrested TMC leader Paritosh Dutta from Bardhaman in connection with the arms case linked to Surendranath College, Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma confirmed.

Additionally, Panchayat officer and TMC leader Rajib Banerjee was arrested from Birbhum in connection with an alleged rice ration sale case.

These developments come amidst a dramatic split in the TMC legislature party, just days after the party lost power in West Bengal following 15 years in government. In a major setback for the party leadership, 58 of the TMC's 80 MLAs reportedly approached Assembly Speaker Rathindranath Bose, staking claim to the TMC Legislature Party and electing recently expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee as the Leader of the Opposition. (ANI)