Bengal BJP Leader Arrested For Running Prostitution Racket Amid Sandeshkhali Row

Howrah: Sabyasachi Ghosh, a prominent leader of the BJP in West Bengal was arrested on Friday for allegedly operating a prostitution ring in Howrah. This development follows heightened tensions between the BJP and the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) over the Sandeshkhali incident, where TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan and associates were accused of sexual exploitation.

The TMC has intensified its criticism of the BJP, asserting that the Bengal Police dismantled a prostitution network operating in Ghosh’s Howrah hotel. The TMC accused the BJP of shielding individuals involved in such activities rather than prioritizing the welfare of women.

In response to the TMC’s accusations, a BJP delegation comprising female activists, led by MP Locket Chatterjee and MLA Agnimitra Paul, attempted to visit Sandeshkhali but was barred by the police citing prohibitory orders. The BJP alleged that the state government is attempting to suppress information regarding the Sandeshkhali situation.

Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission dispatched a team to Sandeshkhali to conduct an on-site investigation into reported human rights violations. Multiple women in the area have accused TMC leaders, including Sheikh Shahjahan, of sexual exploitation and land grabbing. Shahjahan has been evading authorities since a January attack on an Enforcement Directorate team headed to his residence.

Two of Shahjahan’s associates, Shibaprasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar, both TMC leaders, have been arrested following complaints by local women.