In a significant breakthrough for the West Bengal Police, Trinamool Congress leader and former Falta MLA Jahangir Khan was arrested by the Special Task Force (STF) near the India-Nepal border on Monday after evading law enforcement for several days. The arrest comes amid multiple criminal investigations and follows weeks of political controversy surrounding the South 24 Parganas strongman.
According to police sources, Khan was taken into custody during an STF operation in north Bengal close to the Nepal border. Investigators said he had been on the run after a series of cases were registered against him following the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections.
The arrest marks a dramatic turn in the political fortunes of a leader who, until recently, was one of the Trinamool Congress's most influential figures in the Falta region. Khan had contested the 2026 Assembly election from Falta and remained at the centre of intense controversy after allegations of electoral irregularities and violence surfaced during the polling process.
Officials said Khan had managed to evade arrest for several days despite multiple efforts by law enforcement agencies to trace his whereabouts. The STF eventually tracked him down near the international border and took him into custody early on Monday.
Police sources indicated that the arrest is linked to extortion and other criminal cases registered against the TMC leader. Investigators are expected to question him regarding several complaints filed in recent weeks.
The development comes just days after the Calcutta High Court declined to extend interim protection from arrest that had earlier been granted to Khan in connection with multiple FIRs lodged against him. The court had referred the matter for further hearing before a regular bench, effectively leaving him vulnerable to police action.
Falta Controversy and Political Fallout
Jahangir Khan emerged as one of the most discussed political figures during the Assembly election campaign in West Bengal. His candidature from Falta generated widespread attention amid allegations of poll-related irregularities, intimidation and violence.
The constituency eventually witnessed extraordinary political turbulence, including disputes over polling procedures, legal battles and repeated complaints lodged by opposition parties. Khan's name figured prominently in several of these controversies.
In the aftermath of the election, multiple FIRs were filed against him, prompting the TMC leader to approach the Calcutta High Court seeking protection from arrest. In his petition, Khan had alleged that he was being targeted through repeated criminal complaints.
