Page 60 - West Bengal

NIA officials attacked villagers, not other way round, says CM Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday blamed NIA officials of attacking villagers at Bhupatinagar in East Midnapore district and not the other way round. She claimed that the probe agency team had gone to the houses of villagers in the early hours over an incident of "bursting of crackers in 2022". "The attack was not carried out by women of Bhupatinagar, it was by the National Investigation Agency (NIA)," she said at an election rally in South Dinajpur district's Balurghat. "Will the women sit back if they are attacked?" she said, adding that they had only protested after NIA officials went to some of their houses over the December 2022 incident. A vehicle carrying NIA officials was on Saturday attacked by villagers in Bhupatinagar, where they had gone to investigate a 2022 bomb blast case in which three persons were killed, police said. The investigation was later handed over to the NIA. The probe team arrested two persons in connection with the case and when th

'Extremely shameful': High Court pulls up Bengal govt over Sandeshkhali

State government fully responsible for safety of citizens, says Calcutta High Court Chief Justice

ED files money laundering case against Mahua Moitra, Darshan Hiranandani

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a money laundering case against TMC leader Mahua Moitra and businessman Darshan Hiranandani in connection with an alleged cash-for-queries scam case, official sources said Tuesday. The federal agency filed the enforcement case information report (ECIR), the ED equivalent of a police FIR, against the two, taking cognisance of a CBI complaint, the sources said. The ED case was registered two-three days ago. It has been probing them under the civil sections of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) and has called Moitra and Dubai-based businessman Hiranandani in this case for questioning but they have not disposed till now, citing official engagements. The CBI had last month conducted searches, after filing its FIR, at the premises of Moitra, a former TMC MP from Krishnanagar seat in West Bengal. She has been renominated by the Trinamool Congress led by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee to contest in the upcoming general ...

IMD predicts heatwave conditions in southern districts of Bengal till Apr 5

Southern districts of West Bengal are likely to experience heatwave conditions till April 5, the Met Department said on Monday. Heatwave conditions are expected to prevail from April 3-5 in the districts of Purulia, Bankura, West Bardhaman, West Midnapore and Jhargram, it said. Due to the prevailing dry westerly winds over the region, such conditions are very likely to occur over the districts of south Bengal, the weather office said in a bulletin. The maximum day temperatures are likely to rise by 2 to 4 degrees Celsius in south Bengal during the next three days, it said. The bulletin added that the maximum temperatures are going to be above normal by 4 to 5 degrees Celsius over the western districts from April 3-5.

BJP urges EC to file FIR against TMC leader for 'casteist slur' on PM Modi

BJP has asked the Election Commission to lodge an FIR against Piyush Panda and ban his campaigning for the remainder of the election period for his alleged derogatory remarks

BJP files EC complaint against TMC for posting private info of Rekha Patra

TMC is accused of targeting Sandeshkhali victim and BJP candidate Rekha Patra, sharing her private information on social media

Amit Shah speaks to CMs of WB, Assam, Manipur after storm hits 3 states

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday spoke to the chief ministers of West Bengal, Assam and Manipur in the wake of severe losses suffered by the three states due to a storm, and assured them of all possible central help. Shah also appealed to the BJP workers in the three states to provide every possible help to the affected people during this hour of distress. "Deeply concerned about the severe loss suffered by West Bengal, Assam, and Manipur due to a storm. Spoke to the Chief Ministers and assured them of all possible assistance. I extend my sincerest condolences to the families of the deceased and pray for the swift recovery of the injured," he wrote on X. Four people died and over 100 were injured as a storm wreaked havoc in parts of Jalpaiguri district in northern West Bengal on Sunday, while a child died and two persons were reported missing after a boat capsized in the Brahmaputra in South Salmara-Mankachar district, amid heavy rain and hailstorm across Assam. There were a

5 dead, over 100 injured in Jalpaiguri cyclone; WB CM Mamata meets victims

Four people died and over 100 were injured as a sudden storm wreaked havoc in parts of Jalpaiguri district in northern West Bengal on Sunday, officials said. Several hutments and houses were damaged, trees uprooted and electric poles came crashing down as strong winds accompanied by hail struck most parts of the district headquarters town and many areas of neighbouring Mainaguri, they said. Among the most affected areas were Rajarhat, Barnish, Bakali, Jorpakdi, Madhabdanga and Saptibari, the officials said, adding that several acres of agricultural land and crops suffered damages. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the loss of lives in the storm, and said he had spoken with officials and asked them to ensure proper assistance to those affected by it. "My thoughts are with those affected by the storms in Jalpaiguri-Mainaguri areas of West Bengal. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones," Modi said on X. "I would also urge all @BJP4Bengal Karyakartas to assist those .

Cyclone kills 5, leaves over 100 injured in West Bengal

At least 5 people died and over 100 were injured due to a sudden storm in parts of Jalpaiguri district in northern West Bengal on March 31.

Sandeshkhali case: CBI custody of Shajahan's brother extended by 5 days

A court in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on Sunday remanded Sheikh Alamgir, the brother of Sandeshkhali fiasco key accused Shajahan Sheikh, to five days in CBI custody. The court of additional chief judicial magistrate of Basirhat sub-divisional court also sent Mafijur Molla, another associate of Shajahan, to CBI custody for a similar duration. Sheikh Alamgir and Mafijur Molla were produced before the court after their nine-day CBI custody, which was pronounced on March 22, ended on Sunday. Shajahan, who has been suspended from the ruling Trinamool Congress, and his associates are accused of sexual abuse of women and land-grabbing in Sandeshkhali.

LS polls: Rs 7 cr in cash, drugs, alcohol worth Rs 140 cr seized in Bengal

Gold, drugs, alcohol and various goods worth around Rs 140 crore and more than Rs 7 crore in cash were seized in West Bengal since the dates for the Lok Sabha polls were announced this month, an officer said Saturday. According to data released by the Election Commission, the amount of cash seized till Saturday was around Rs 7.87 crore. The EC also seized 12.7 lakh litres of alcohol with a market value of Rs 33.86 crore, he added. "Drugs weighing around 3.5 kg worth Rs 18.28 crore were also seized," he said. The poll body also seized the yellow metal worth Rs 27.32 crore during this period, the official said. "So far, we have also seized goods worth around Rs 36 crore and the total seizure is worth Rs 147.19 crore, including unaccounted cash," he added. There has been a trend of offering money and alcohol to buy votes for several years. The Election Commission has declared six Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal as 'financially sensitive'. Meanwhile, the Kolkata Police, dur

Suspended TMC leader Sheikh 'shown arrested' after ED grilling inside jail

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday questioned suspended Trinamool Congress leader Shajahan Sheikh in the Basirhat Correctional Home in connection with cases involving land grabbing and financial irregularities in Sandeshkhali, an official said. Sheikh, who is currently in judicial custody, was also "shown arrested" after he allegedly non-cooperated with the central agency officials during questioning. Even when a person is in judicial custody, he can be shown arrested in respect of any number of other crimes registered elsewhere. "He has been non-cooperative when our officers questioned him inside the jail this afternoon. So we decided to arrest him," the officer told PTI. He was first arrested by the state police in February, and then the CBI earlier this month and by the ED on Saturday. According to the ED sources, Sheikh has played an active role in the multi-crore ration distribution scam and not only siphoned the money abroad but also utilised it in fishing business

Bengal education minister accuses Modi govt of holding back funds for SSM

West Bengal Education minister Bratya Basu has alleged that the Centre has not released the third instalment of the Sarva Shiksha Mission (SSM) for the state. Basu claimed in a social media post on Friday that the Centre is yet to send the amount as West Bengal has not signed MoU with the Centre on PM SHRI (Pradhan Mantri School for Rising India) scheme. "Ministry of Finance and Internal Finance Division of Ministry of Education has cleared the release of the third instalment for West Bengal for the SSM. Still, the fund has not been released to our state. The unstated reason is that we have not signed the MoU with GoI on PM SHRI. It is completely unethical and illegal to link the release of funds of one scheme with a separate scheme," the senior TMC leader said in a post on X. Basu also wondered why should a scheme be named PM SHRI when the state is bearing 40 per cent of the share. This is nothing but petty politics, he alleged. Basu told reporters on Saturday "I haven't seen suc

BJP's Rekha Patra lodges complaint against TMC leader for privacy violation

BJP's Basirhat candidate Rekha Patra, who had highlighted the plight of women in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali, has lodged a complaint with the National Commission for Women against TMC nominee Debangshu Bhattacharyya for alleged violation of her privacy. She also shot off a letter to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, alleging that Bhattacharyya, the TMC nominee from Tamluk Lok Sabha seat and head of the party's social media cell, made the details of her personal information and bank accounts public. "Recently, through a post on Debangshu Bhattacharyya's Facebook account, the TMC candidate from Tamluk has shared the private details of my client, such as phone number, bank account details, Swasthya Sathi scheme details, as well as the Duare Sarkar scheme details, which is a clear violation of my client's right to privacy and an outrage to her modesty by making her personal details public," Patra's lawyer said in the letter. The BJP candidate, through her counsel, urged the .

LS polls: EC's notice to Supriya Shrinate, crisis in K'taka Cong. 10 points

Lok Sabha elections: Amid the political row over campaign conducts and remarks, the last day to file nominations for Lok Sabha elections phase one ends today

ED summons Mahua Moitra, Darshan Hiranandani on March 28 in FEMA case

The Enforcement Directorate has issued fresh summons to TMC leader Mahua Moitra and businessman Darshan Hiranandani for questioning in a Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) contravention case on March 28, official sources said Wednesday. The 49-year-old Trinamool Congress leader was called for questioning earlier also by the central agency. Moitra, who was expelled from the Lok Sabha in December for "unethical conduct", has been renominated by her party from West Bengal's Krishnanagar seat in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had raided her premises in connection with the cash-for-query case on Saturday, days after anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal directed the federal agency to investigate the allegations levelled against her by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey. Dubey, a Lok Sabha member, has alleged that Moitra asked questions in the House in exchange for cash and gifts from Dubai-based Hiranandani to mount an attack on industrialist Gautam Adani and

Shoppers Stop bets on beauty, picks Kolkata for industry's 'largest store'

West Bengal's capital city is important to company's growth target, says senior executive

Will ensure money looted from poor in Bengal is returned, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that he is working to ensure that the money "looted" from poor people in West Bengal and attached by the Enforcement Directorate is returned to them. Modi made this assertion in a telephonic conversation with Amrita Roy, a member of erstwhile royalty and BJP candidate against TMC's Mahua Moitra in Krishnanagar Lok Sabha constituency, BJP leaders said. "PM Modi told 'Rajmata' Amrita Roy that he is exploring legal options to ensure that the money looted from the poor goes back to them through whatever assets and money the ED has attached from the corrupt," a BJP leader said. Modi said on the one hand the BJP is committed to uprooting corruption in the country and on the other all the corrupt have come together to save each other, BJP leaders said. He expressed confidence that West Bengal will vote for "Parivartan" (change) in the state. The alleged corruption of the state's ruling Trinamool Congress leaders is one of the main planks of

BJP MP Dilip Ghosh apologises for his comments on CM Mamata Banerjee

BJP MP Dilip Ghosh said that wherever Mamata Banerjee goes, she calls herself the daughter of that state, and "she must identify her own father"

'BJP is frustrated in Bengal. It is losing': TMC responds to 'father' jab

TMC Sushmita Dev stated that BJP MP Dilip Ghosh's remarks against CM Mamata Banerjee went against Indian politics & traditions, and reflected the party's double standards when it came to women