TMC Panchayat Member Arrested for Illegal Firearms Trade in Bengal; Opposition Parties Demand Accountability

Baby Chakraborty, KalimNews, Nov 10, 2024, Malda: A Trinamool Congress (TMC) gram panchayat member from Malda district was arrested on Saturday night on charges of involvement in the illegal sale of firearms. Abdul Rashid, a member of the Pardeonapur-Shobhpur panchayat, was detained by the Government Railway Police (GRP) from his residence in Baidyanathpur, Malda, following a tip-off.

Rashid’s arrest came after the interrogation of Muhammad Tausif, a criminal arrested on October 27 at the New Farakka railway station. Police sources revealed that Tausif had been found in possession of firearms and ammunition that he had intended to smuggle into Bangladesh. During his questioning, Tausif allegedly disclosed that Rashid had handed him the firearms, instructing him to transport them to Patna. Based on this information, Rashid was apprehended.

In a related incident, the Kolkata Police Special Task Force (STF) arrested Md Ismail Khan, a Jharkhand resident, on the same night for possessing a large cache of weapons. Khan was found carrying two .32 bore improvised semi-automatic pistols, three .303 bore single-shot pistols, and 90 rounds of live ammunition near Surendranath College in Kolkata. Police officials said Khan, a resident of Chatra district in Jharkhand, had been living in Kolkata for two years and intended to sell the firearms to local traders after bringing them from Munger in Bihar.

While being taken to court on Sunday, Rashid told the media that he had joined the TMC one year ago but claimed that the arrest was part of an Arms Act case. “I joined TMC one year ago. Police have caught me in an Arms Act case,” he said.

Despite Rashid’s claim, local TMC leaders have refrained from commenting on the arrest. TMC leaders in Malda distanced themselves from the incident, with Dulal Sarkar, a vice-president of TMC in Malda, stating, “Our party will not take any responsibility for the illegal activities of an individual. The arrest proves that there is rule of law in Bengal.”

However, opposition leaders, particularly from the Congress and BJP, have called for greater accountability from the ruling party. Bhupendranath Haldar, a Congress leader in Malda, questioned why TMC did not take any action against Rashid despite his alleged involvement in the illegal firearms trade. “TMC leaders should clarify why they didn’t take any step against him even though he was involved in the illegal sale of firearms,” Haldar said.

Amlan Bhaduri, general secretary of the BJP’s Malda South district, also criticized the TMC, suggesting that Rashid’s arrest pointed to the involvement of certain party leaders in the illegal firearms business. “This shows the links between a section of TMC leaders and the illegal arms trade,” Bhaduri said.

Rashid had contested the panchayat elections on a Congress ticket last year but joined TMC after the results were declared.

While the arrest has put a spotlight on Rashid’s actions, it has also led to broader scrutiny of the TMC's ties to local leaders. Despite the party's efforts to distance itself, the political fallout is expected to continue, with both the Congress and BJP demanding explanations and accountability from the ruling party.

As investigations continue, police are likely to gather more details about Rashid’s alleged involvement in the firearms trade and his connections with other criminals, potentially shedding more light on the illegal arms network operating in the region.