Former Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) councillor Shams Iqbal Anil was granted bail by a city court on Monday, hours after being arrested in connection with a 2023 extortion case, after the complainant withdrew the allegations, officials said.

Shams was arrested by the Garden Reach Police on Monday morning in connection with a case registered under charges of extortion and provisions of the Arms Act. He was produced before the Alipore court later in the day.

The proceedings took an interesting turn when the complainant filed an affidavit before the court stating that he no longer wished to pursue the case against the former councillor.

The complainant's lawyer submitted that his client and Shams had shared a long-standing business relationship and that the complaint had stemmed from a misunderstanding between the two.

"The matter has now been settled amicably, and my client does not wish to continue with the complaint," the lawyer told the court, seeking permission to withdraw the allegations.

The court accepted the submission and granted bail to Shams in the afternoon.

A senior Kolkata Police officer said the arrest was made as part of the investigation into a pending criminal case and in accordance with legal procedure.

"Shams Iqbal Anil was detained on Sunday night and questioned for several hours before being formally arrested on Monday morning. During the hearing, the complainant informed the court that he wants to withdraw the allegations. The court subsequently granted him bail," the officer told PTI.

The case dates back to 2023, when Metiabruz resident Mohammad Shadab lodged a complaint against Shams and two others at the Garden Reach police station, he said.

According to the complaint, Shadab had alleged that the accused threatened to kill him and members of his family before allegedly extorting Rs 70 lakh from him.

The case was under investigation, following which the police initiated action against the accused, the officer said.

"The parties have settled the issue among themselves. My client has no grievance against the accused any longer and, therefore, wants to withdraw the complaint," the complainant's lawyer submitted before the court.

The withdrawal of the complaint before the court was a matter between the parties, and the investigating agency would proceed in accordance with the court's directions and the applicable legal provisions, the officer said.