Missing Ind councillor traced, blames TMC for kidnapping him

An Independent councillor who had gone missing on February 17 was traced today following which he alleged the Trinamool Congress of kidnapping him.
Police said Kandi Municipality councillor Debajyoti Roy was found inside a car near Majlishpur area within Baryan police station limits and was produced before the Kandi court where he recorded his statement under section 164 CrPC.
"We have returned him home," said C Sudhakar, Murshidabad Superintendent of Police.
Roy later told reporters the ruling Trinamool Congress was behind his kidnapping ahead of a no-confidence motion it moved in Congress-run Kandi civic body.
"This (the kidnapping) was a pre-planned affair by the Trinamool Congress. I was kidnapped by them. I've told everything to the court and if I get the directions of the court, I'll talk about the matter in public," Roy said.

TMC district president Mannan Hossain, however, denied any role in the disappearance of the councillor.

The ruling TMC won the no-confidence motion by one vote (9-8), on February 19, in the absence Roy.
The Calcutta High Court had on February 18 directed the Murshidabad SP to ensure the presence of Roy when voting takes place at the municipality to elect the chairman. But, the voting took place in his absence.
The High Court had passed the order on a petition by Roy's wife Santana Roy, also an Independent councillor, who alleged her husband was kidnapped by TMC as the couple had said they would support the Congress during the voting.

State Congress president Adhir Chowdhury too blamed the TMC for kidnapping Roy and termed the party "dangerous" and "autocratic".
"Both the Police and the ruling TMC had conspired and kidnapped the Independent councillor. The entire state is in the grip of terror. People will speak against the TMC in the coming Assembly elections," Chowdhury said.
The Congress had formed the 18-member municipal board in Kandi with 13 councillors. But, six of them, including the chairman, joined TMC last month taking its tally to nine.