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Indian Express
23-07-2025
- Indian Express
Guest houses to complexes: Kolkata's accommodation under scrutiny after arrest of Chandan Mishra's accused killers
The recent arrest of five individuals — including a woman — in connection with the murder of Patna-based gangster Chandan Mishra has cast a spotlight on the security protocol and verification processes of rental accommodations in and around Kolkata. The incident has not only led to a case being filed against a guest house in Anandapur but has also brought renewed attention to the Shukhobrishti housing complex in New Town, which previously faced a case in 2021. On Saturday night, a large police team raided a guest house in Madurdaha, Anandapur, which is a short distance from the Anandapur police station, and arrested the accused in the case. 'There was definitely a violation regarding document verification on the part of the guest house. The documents of three of them were not verified,' said a senior STF official. A case has been filed against the guest house under Section 223(B) of the BNS for disobeying government directives. This contradicts what the guest house owner told mediapersons: that all guests had shown valid identity documents before being allotted rooms. Beyond the guest house, the arrests have once again drawn attention to Shukhobrishti, a massive 150-acre housing project in New Town with more than 20,000 apartments and nearly 350 towers, often referred to as a township in itself. Police had questioned five residents from two separate flats in Shukhobrishti on July 19 in connection with the July 17 Patna murder. This is the second time the complex has come under the scanner. On June 9, 2021, two wanted Punjab gangsters — Jaipal Bhullar and Jaspreet Singh alias Jassi Kharar — were gunned down in a police shootout inside Flat 201 of Block 153 during a raid. Despite assurances from Bidhannagar Police and the introduction of a police clearance certificate system for tenants, enforcement remains inconsistent. Local police sources say criminals continue to 'exploit loopholes' in the rental system, particularly subletting. 'It's a huge complex with so many people staying inside. The real problem is that most of the occupants aren't owners — they are tenants, often from Bihar and UP,' said a senior officer from the West Bengal Special Task Force. 'You can check the background of the tenant who signs the lease, but not necessarily of the friends and acquaintances who come and stay. For instance, Ehsan, who was staying in Shukhobrishti, had no criminal background. But he was contacted by Sahil from Patna to receive Tausheef (the main accused in the murder of Chandan Misra) and others.' The size of the complex, along with absent landlords and weak surveillance, further complicates monitoring. While a 'massive drive' was conducted four years ago to verify tenants, authorities admit that '100 percent verification is not possible' and say that residents and landlords must also take more responsibility. Recently, the Bidhannagar Police had issued show-cause notices to 94 landlords for renting properties without conducting required background checks on tenants. Sweety Kumari reports from West Bengal for The Indian Express. She is a journalist with over a decade of experience in the media industry. Covers Crime, Defence, Health , Politics etc and writes on trending topics. With a keen eye for investigative and human-interest stories. She has honed her craft across diverse beats including aviation, health, incidents etc. Sweety delivers impactful journalism that informs and engages audiences. Sweety Kumari is a graduate of Calcutta University with an Honors degree in Journalism from Jaipuria College and a PG in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Originally from Bihar, she is brought up in Kolkata and completed her education from Kendriya Vidyalaya SaltLake. Multilingual, Sweety is fluent in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Maithili. She started her career as an Entertainment and lifestyle journalist with a newsportal in Kolkata. She is working with The Indian Express for 8 years now. ... Read More
Hindustan Times
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Punjab: Cops probe audio clip ‘linking' Amritpal with gangster Jaipal
Punjab Police have started a probe into a recent leaked WhatsApp chat of a group having connection between radical leader and Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh mentioning his association with dreaded gangster Jaipal Bhullar, who was killed in an encounter in Kolkata in 2022. A senior police official has confirmed that the probe aims to verify the authenticity of these audio clips, which reportedly capture a conversation between Amritpal and Sukhpreet Singh Hari Nau, the brother of slain social activist Gurpreet Singh Hari Nau alias Bhodi. Bhodi was a Kotkapura-based Sikh activist who was shot dead by four assailants in Faridkot. Amritpal has already been booked by the Punjab Police under charges of murder. The audio clip allegedly reveals Amritpal discussing his ties to Jaipal Bhullar and mentioning the ₹40 lakh that Bhullar supposedly raised through his criminal influence. Amritpal is also heard talking about receiving information regarding the money after Bhullar's death in the Kolkata encounter. Additionally, he claims to possess a Glock pistol, which he allegedly procured illegally. The officer, who wished to remain anonymous, confirmed that the audio is authentic and forms part of the ongoing investigation into the Hari Nau murder. This period corresponds to when Amritpal was living in Dubai and planning to expand his organisation, Waris Punjab De, in Punjab. The officer also pointed out that Amritpal's connections with notorious criminals like Arsh Dala, another designated terrorist and gangster, had emerged during the investigation. The police have gathered several other incriminating clips in which Amritpal reportedly brags about his connections with gangsters and his alleged involvement in receiving funds from them to further his radical activities in Punjab. These revelations are under active investigation by a special team tasked with determining the extent of his criminal ties. An ADGP-rank official confirmed that all these clips are being thoroughly examined to build a clearer picture of Amritpal's activities, especially his alleged links to gangsters and terrorist organisations.
