Former Kolkata councillor Shams Iqbal Anil was arrested for allegedly extorting a businessman of Rs 70 lakh, police said on Monday.
Anil, who represented ward 134 and is considered a close associate of former Kolkata mayor Firhad Hakim, was arrested on the basis of a complaint filed by Mohammad Shadab, a resident of Metiabruz, at the Garden Reach police station, they said.
According to the complaint, Anil and his associates, Mohammad Faraz and Firoz Qureshi, allegedly threatened to kill Shadab and his family before forcing him to hand over Rs 70 lakh in June 2023.
Police detained Anil on Sunday night and arrested him after prolonged questioning.
"We have made the arrest on the basis of a written complaint and preliminary investigation. The allegations include extortion, criminal intimidation and other relevant offences under the law," a police officer said.
Anil was regarded as one of the influential councillors in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation during the TMC regime.
According to police sources, with this arrest, the number of Kolkata councillors arrested in different criminal cases has risen to 10.