Former Bengal minister Ujjal Biswas was arrested on Tuesday night in connection with an alleged case of misappropriation of government tarpaulins, hours after he was heckled by protesters outside his residence in Nadia district over the controversy.
Biswas, the former correctional department minister and a senior TMC leader, was arrested following an investigation into a case registered at Kotwali police station, and he would be produced before a court on Wednesday, an officer said.
"Based on the specific case started at Kotwali PS and investigation conducted, the ex-MIC has been arrested and will be produced before court as per legal procedure," he said.
The arrest came after a day of high drama in Krishnanagar, where Biswas faced protests from local residents and BJP supporters over allegations that government tarpaulins were being illegally stored and removed from his residence.
According to police, the controversy erupted in the afternoon when several tarpaulins were allegedly being loaded onto a goods vehicle parked outside Biswas's house. As news spread, a crowd gathered outside the premises, accusing the former minister of illegally possessing government relief materials.
The protesters raised slogans and demanded immediate action against him. The situation soon turned tense, with eggs reportedly being hurled at the TMC minister.
The protesters claimed that a large stockpile of government tarpaulins was stored inside his residence, and that attempts were being made to remove the materials from the premises.
Biswas, however, rejected the allegations and maintained that no misappropriation had taken place. As tension mounted, personnel from Kotwali police station reached the spot and escorted Biswas away from his residence. Police initially said the move was aimed at preventing any further deterioration of the law-and-order situation.
The subsequent arrest of the former minister has added a fresh political dimension to the controversy, with opposition parties demanding a detailed probe into the allegations.
