Malda/Kolkata: The brother of Chanchal BJP candidate Ratan Das was detained on Tuesday after police recovered Rs 2.8 lakh in cash — well over the permissible limit — during a check. Biplab Das was stopped near Barai village on the Chanchal border in Malda district, where police found the cash in his two-wheeler. Police also seized his motorcycle.Ratan Das later said, “My brother deals in the wholesale medicine trade. The cash was for his business and had nothing to do with politics.” Subhamoy Basu, a Trinamool spokesperson, said, “Let the police and EC investigate how such a large amount of cash is being carried by BJP men. This is only the tip of the iceberg.”BJP MP Khagen Murmu alleged a TMC conspiracy, stating, “A section of the police is helping TMC by orchestrating such ploys against the BJP. This won’t work, as the people know everything.”Meanwhile, Rs 2 lakh in cash was seized from an SUV at Patiram in South Dinajpur. Sources said the car belonged to a former MP from Tripura.Moreover, allegations have surfaced against the BJP regarding the distribution of cash to voters in the Hingalganj assembly constituency in North 24-Parganas. The incident reportedly took place on Wednesday morning while party leaders were campaigning in support of BJP candidate Rekha Patra. Police detained a local BJP leader and a former BJP MLA from Assam in connection with the incident. Local TMC workers demanded their immediate arrest and urged the Election Commission and district administration to take swift action.Sources said local BJP leader Tarun Mondal and former Assam MLA Kishore Nath were allegedly distributing money to residents. It is alleged that they went to a club in Konkonagar, Hingalganj, to hand out cash. Police detained both along with the cash. Their vehicle was also seized.Shahidullah Gazi, president of the Hingalganj Block TMC, said, “The former BJP MLA from Assam and Tarun Mondal were distributing money to residents. You cannot buy votes in Bengal. Money will not work here. We demand their immediate arrest by the Election Commission and the local administration.”Former Assam BJP MLA Kishore Nath came to Hingalganj to campaign for Rekha Patra. “Allegations have now surfaced against him for distributing money in an attempt to influence voters. The matter is being investigated,” a senior official of the Basirhat district police said.
