Kolkata, September 29, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
West Bengal Police on Tuesday arrested the driver of former Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Biswajit Das after recovering another country-made firearm and live bullets from the garden behind his residence in North 24 Parganas district.
The arrest of the driver, Keramat Mandal, came a day after Das, the former Bangaon Uttar legislator, was taken into custody following the recovery of firearms from his house and car.
Police said the latest recovery was made after investigators questioned Mandal. A team from Gopalnagar police station visited Das’s residence late on Monday night and searched the garden behind the house, where they found a country-made firearm and several live rounds.
According to investigators, suspicion fell on Mandal after Das was taken to the police station. The driver allegedly returned to the former MLA’s residence in Das’s car, unlocked the house and entered the premises. He reportedly came out after a short while, prompting the police to question his movements.
During interrogation, Mandal allegedly told investigators that the firearm and bullets had been kept on the dashboard of Das’s car. He reportedly removed the weapon and ammunition from the vehicle and threw them into the garden before leaving the premises.
Mandal was subsequently arrested in connection with the alleged illegal possession of firearms.
Das and his driver were produced before the Bangaon Sub-divisional Court on Tuesday. Police sought seven days of custody for both accused to conduct further questioning.
Investigators are probing the circumstances surrounding the recovery of the weapons and are attempting to establish their source and why they were allegedly in Das’s possession.
Das began his electoral career with the Trinamool Congress and won the Bangaon Uttar Assembly seat in 2011. He retained the constituency in the 2016 Assembly elections.
Following the BJP’s strong performance in West Bengal in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Das switched allegiance and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the 2021 Assembly polls. He contested from Bagdah on a BJP ticket and won.
He later returned to the TMC after meeting Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and was subsequently given charge of the party’s Bangaon organisational district.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Das contested the Bangaon seat against BJP candidate Shantanu Thakur but was defeated. The TMC fielded him again in the 2026 Assembly elections, where he lost to BJP candidate Ashok Kirtania.
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