Kolkata, June 9 (AHN) Trinamool Congress councillor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) Sushmita Bhattacharya of ward number 63 was arrested on Tuesday over alleged corruption charges.

Her husband, Salil Chatterjee, was also arrested. Officers of the Watgunge police station arrested them on charges of extortion. With this, the total number of Trinamool councillors in KMC arrested over various charges rose to nine.

According to the police, a complaint was filed with the said police station on June 5 against Sushmita and Salil. Based on that complaint, the police registered an FIR. It is alleged that Sushmita had extorted Rs 30 lakh from an elderly man. In addition, there have been allegations of threatening the man.

After the change of government in the state, small and big leaders of Trinamool are facing public anger. Some are accused of extortion, while others allegedly hoarded government relief in their homes. Trinamool leaders are also being arrested on past allegations. The police are taking action on almost all the allegations, and raids have started across the state as part of the investigation.

The police have already arrested several Trinamool councillors in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. Last Saturday night, the police arrested Bappaditya Dasgupta from Patuli on charges of extortion.

He is the councillor of ward number 101. On Sunday, Councillor Mohammad Jasimuddin of ward number 39 was arrested. He was picked up from his house by the police of Jorasanko police station. A case was registered against Jasimuddin under multiple sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

In addition, the police arrested six more councillors in Kolkata. The list includes Councillor Bishwajit Mondal of ward number 114, Sudip Polle of ward number 123, Sachin Singh of ward number 36, Arijit Das of ward number 106 and Maheshkumar Sharma of ward number 42.

Since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) formed a government in the state, there has been a crackdown on illegal and criminal activities of Trinamool leaders. The police have been active in taking action against anti-social elements and have often acted against Trinamool leaders, against whom allegations of breaking the law have been raised.

In the last month, a large number of Trinamool councillors across the state have been arrested by the police on charges of corruption and extortion. In KMC, the number rose to nine with the latest arrest.