KOLKATA: Former Bengal minister and senior Trinamool Congress leader Udayan Guha was arrested in Kolkata by Cooch Behar district police on Wednesday over his alleged involvement in financial irregularities linked to the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, according to police.
With his arrest, four former ministers of the previous Trinamool Congress government have been arrested since the BJP, led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, came to power in West Bengal following the recent Assembly elections.
Guha, a senior leader from Cooch Behar and former North Bengal Development Minister in the erstwhile Mamata Banerjee-led government, was arrested from an apartment in Kolkata's Phoolbagan area. He had been staying there since losing the Dinhata Assembly seat to the BJP in the 2026 elections, police sources said.
"There was a complaint lodged against the former minister alleging his involvement in financial irregularities in connection with the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. There are other cases too against him, and action will accordingly be taken," a Cooch Behar district police officer said.
Police said Guha would be taken to Cooch Behar and produced before a court on Thursday.
Allegations have also been levelled against him in connection with post-poll violence in 2021.
"I have no idea why they have arrested me. They will be able to best explain the reason behind this action," Guha told reporters during a stopover while being taken to Cooch Behar.
A complainant at Dinhata police station alleged that Guha had collected money from local businessmen, government employees and teachers in 2021, claiming the funds would be used for a childcare initiative.
BJP MLA from Dinhata Ajoy Roy alleged, "Many cases, including the murder of our party worker Ratan Burman, seeds scam, cut money from Awas Yojana and others, are pending against him."
One complainant claimed he was forced to donate Rs 25,000 to Guha's project but was later given a receipt for only Rs 10,000.
"When I tried to lodge a complaint at the police station, I was picked up and threatened with dire consequences. I gathered the courage to file a fresh complaint after his party lost power," the complainant alleged while speaking to television channels.
Guha had won the 2021 Dinhata by-election by a record margin of more than 1.64 lakh votes.
Earlier, former Fire Services Minister Sujit Bose was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the alleged civic body recruitment scam.
Former Correctional Services Minister Ujjwal Biswas was arrested by Bengal Police over allegations of siphoning relief materials.
Former Minister of State for Transport Dilip Mondal, who had been absconding after police raided his residence in South 24 Parganas, was later arrested in Puri by the state police's Special Task Force in connection with cases alleging threats against BJP workers.
