Kolkata: Trinamool Congress MLA Paresh Ram Das, who represents Canning West, was arrested at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata on Monday, police said. A special team of the Baruipur Police District apprehended him in the afternoon as he was preparing to board a flight to Mumbai.

Source: Hindusthan Samachar

Police said Das faces a slew of serious allegations including rape, extortion, cheating, criminal conspiracy, criminal intimidation and post-poll violence. Hindusthan Samachar reported that case No. 561/2026 was registered against him at Canning police station on September 5 under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to those alleged offences. The allegations have not been proved in court.

Source: PTI via Dailyworld

According to police, the operation was carried out by the Special Operations Group of the Baruipur Police District on credible intelligence, under the supervision of the Superintendent of Police and senior officials, with cooperation from the Bidhannagar Police. Officers said the airport premises were secured and the MLA was intercepted just before he could board his flight.

Reports said Das had been evading investigation for some time. In May this year, the Calcutta High Court had granted him temporary protection from arrest on May 16 in connection with six FIRs registered at Canning police station - five from 2021 and a sixth relating to an incident on April 20, 2026 - while directing police to continue the investigation and Das to cooperate. That interim relief was valid until June 30 or until further orders.

Das was also under investigation over violence during the 2023 Panchayat elections, in which he is accused of firing a shot and attempted murder - allegations he has not been convicted of. On the Calcutta High Court's orders, the CID summoned him for questioning in September; he appeared but was hospitalised after complaining of chest pain and difficulty breathing during interrogation, reports said.

Following the arrest, Das was being taken to Baruipur in South 24 Parganas and is scheduled to be produced before court on Tuesday - Hindusthan Samachar said the Alipore Court - for further legal proceedings. Union Minister of State Shantanu Thakur said in Kolkata that as the police investigation progresses, the MLA will receive whatever punishment is due under the law.