Arrested KMC borough head named in six FIRs

Kolkata: KMC Borough 16 chairman Sudip Polley, arrested on Saturday, found himself in deeper trouble after police said he was named in six FIRs, including one for allegedly shoving and pushing the municipal secretary. All the other cases, pertaining to extortion, were registered at the Haridevpur and Thakurpukur police stations between May 20 and May 24.Taking Polley in custody, police claimed the Borough 16 chairperson was an influential person and "created a reign of terror in his locality by his position". "There remains reasonable apprehension that he would influence witnesses and hamper the investigation," an officer said. He added that during interrogation, they would ascertain the case facts, identify and trace others involved in the offences, verify statements and recreate the sequence of events.Earlier, Polley, Ward 123 councillor, faced attempt-to-murder charges for allegedly demanding Rs 5 lakh from a small-time trader and assaulting him with an "intention to murder" when the trader had refused to comply, police told court on Sunday.Cops from the New Market PS initiated a probe after the new KMC secretary, Kishore Kumar Biswas, lodged a complaint, alleging aggressive intimidation and obstruction of duty by a group of councillors on May 22. According to the FIR, between 1.30 pm and 1.45 pm on Monday, councillors, including Polley and Baiswanor Chattopadhyay, stormed the secretary's headquarters chamber. They violently protested against the official adjournment of the House proceedings, surrounded his chair, used filthy language and threatened him with dire consequences.On May 22, Trinamool councillors broke into a protest when they found the chamber, where the House was usually held, locked. They eventually held a session in the councillors' club room, the first time ever in KMC's history.