Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national vice president and West Bengal unit chief Sukanta Majumdar, along with several party workers, was detained in Kolkata on charges of collecting funds purportedly to support victims of Murshidabad violence. Authorities apprehended the group near Esplanade while they were gathering donations.
Police sources say a tip-off alerted them to an unauthorized fundraising drive. The detained workers were reportedly carrying cash and transaction records, prompting officers to take them into custody for further questioning. Majumdar and his aides were brought to Lalbazar Police Headquarters for interrogation.
The Kolkata Police have opened an inquiry under sections related to unlawful assembly and fundraising without proper authorization. Investigators are examining whether the collected funds were diverted for political mobilization rather than genuine relief efforts.
The BJP has criticized the detentions, calling them politically motivated and accusing the state government of suppressing opposition activities. “We were only trying to help the flood-affected families in Murshidabad,” Majumdar stated after his release on bail.
State officials, however, maintain that any fundraising must comply with legal norms. The incident has heightened political tensions in West Bengal, with both parties trading accusations ahead of upcoming local elections.
