‘Pushpa of Falta’, TMC leader Jahangir Khan paraded in shorts after arrest

KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress leader Jahangir Khan, also known as ‘Pushpa’, was paraded through the Falta area by police on Thursday after his arrest in connection with extortion and other charges. In the video, Khan is seen walking through Falta under police escort, with helmet-clad officers surrounding him. Khan, who is currently in police custody, was arrested near the India-Nepal border in North Bengal’s Panitanki area on Monday. A court in Diamond Harbour had earlier remanded Khan to five days of police custody after seven FIRs were registered against him at Falta police station. Khan had unsuccessfully contested the Falta assembly seat in the West Bengal assembly election. He had not been seen in the South 24 Parganas constituency since a few days before the repoll held on May 21. The Calcutta High Court had on May 26 vacated an interim protection granted to Khan in the cases filed against him. The court had earlier granted protection from coercive action on May 18, allowing him to participate in the repoll process. However, a day later, Khan publicly announced his withdrawal from the contest. Khan was produced before the Diamond Harbour sub-divisional court amid heavy deployment of police and central forces, with authorities anticipating protests. Public entry into the courtroom was restricted during the hearing. The judge appointed a legal aid advocate to represent Khan after lawyers from the Diamond Harbour Court Bar Association declined to appear for him. The TMC leader was sent to police custody for five days on the prosecution’s request in connection with the seven FIRs lodged at Falta police station.