Who Is Dipankar Bhattacharya? TMC Leader Linked to Crores Buried in Bengal Jute Field

Dipankar Bhattacharya, TMC-linked Baduria municipality chairperson, has come under major scrutiny after police recovered over Rs 2.24 cr buried in a jute field in West Bengal. The cash recovery followed raids on TMC office and farmhouse linked to him

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TMC Leader Arrested After Crores in Cash Found Buried in Bengal Jute Field

A political storm has erupted in West Bengal after police recovered crores of rupees in cash allegedly linked to Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and Baduria municipality chairperson Dipankar Bhattacharya. The dramatic recovery from a jute field in North 24 Parganas has now turned national attention towards the local political leader and the serious allegations against him.

Police say the cash recovery operation is still ongoing, with the amount already crossing Rs 2.24 crore. Officials believe the figure could rise further as counting continues.

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Who Is Dipankar Bhattacharya?

Dipankar Bhattacharya is the chairperson of the Baduria municipality in West Bengal and is associated with the ruling Trinamool Congress. In the Baduria area of North 24 Parganas district, he has long been seen as an influential local political figure.

According to reports, Bhattacharya also allegedly operated a computer training centre near his residence and owned a farmhouse in the area. Over the years, opposition parties had repeatedly accused him of corruption, extortion and misuse of political influence, though the latest case has brought those accusations into much sharper focus.

Police sources say two complaints were recently filed against him, one by the BJP and another by the CPI.

जो देखो ,कल दीपांकर भट्टाचार्य TMC के घर से 80 लाख रु बरामद हुए थे और आज उनके खेत में से पांच थैला में पांच पांच सो के नोटो से भरे बोरे बरामद किए गए 
गिनती अभी जारी है 😹😹 

ये बदुरिया के नगर पालिका के अध्यक्ष थे ,बोलो pic.twitter.com/u6qvmkwhAy

— Arun Yadav Kosli (@AarunKosli) May 27, 2026

🚨Huge cash haul in West Bengal

Police recovered ₹2.24 crore cash from trolley bags and sacks buried in a jute field in #Baduria, allegedly linked to arrested #TMC leader and municipality chairman Dipankar Bhattacharya. 

The recovery came after an earlier raid uncovered ₹80… pic.twitter.com/sdks9ckUZI

— Mahalaxmi Ramanathan (@MahalaxmiRaman) May 28, 2026

Dipankar Bhattacharya, chairman of Baduria Municipality and a leader of TMC, has been arrested by Baduria Police Station on charges of corruption and misappropriation of government relief materials.

Police recovered around 500 government tarpaulins, confidential documents, and… pic.twitter.com/58JdbpRtyv

— Piyali Mitra (@Plchakraborty) May 26, 2026

How Did the Cash Recovery Begin?

The case began after local residents noticed suspicious activity late at night near a TMC office in Baduria. According to reports, vans were allegedly seen moving goods under darkness, which raised doubts among locals.

Soon after receiving information, police raided the TMC office and a nearby farmhouse allegedly linked to Bhattacharya. During the searches, officers reportedly recovered around 4,000 government tarpaulin sheets believed to be meant for relief distribution.

Police also found partially burnt documents outside the office, increasing suspicion around possible destruction of evidence.

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Crores Found Buried in Jute Field

The investigation took a dramatic turn after police received information that large amounts of cash had been hidden in agricultural land.

During questioning, Bhattacharya allegedly admitted that money had been buried in a jute field behind his residence. A major search operation was then launched with drone cameras and sniffer dogs.

After hours of digging, police recovered trolley bags and sacks filled with bundles of Rs 500 notes. Some gold items were also reportedly recovered. Viral videos showed police officers carrying sacks filled with cash from the field while crowds gathered nearby.

Officials later brought in counting machines as the recovered amount continued rising throughout the night.

What Are the Allegations Against Him?

Investigators suspect the money may be linked to corruption in government housing schemes, especially the ‘Bangla Bari’ project. Police are also looking into allegations that local businessmen and residents were forced to pay money.

The BJP has accused Bhattacharya of collecting illegal commissions and misusing government resources. However, police are still investigating the source of the cash and have not yet made final conclusions public.

The case has also revived memories of earlier cash recovery scandals in Bengal politics, including the 2022 school recruitment scam case involving former minister Partha Chatterjee and his aide Arpita Mukherjee.

Arrest and Political Fallout

Bhattacharya reportedly tried to avoid arrest for several hours before police finally detained him from a hotel in Baduria. He was later produced before a district court, which sent him to police custody for further questioning.

The incident has created fresh political tension in West Bengal, with opposition parties attacking the TMC government over corruption allegations.

Meanwhile, the ruling party is facing growing pressure as several leaders and councillors across the state continue to come under investigation in different cases.

(With inputs from agencies)