Former Trinamool Congress MLA Jahangir Khan, also known as 'Pushpa' Khan, was arrested by West Bengal police near the India-Nepal border, weeks after his legal protection from arrest expired and the Calcutta High Court refused to extend it. Khan was a central figure in the controversy surrounding the Falta assembly elections, where repolling was ordered due to alleged irregularities, and he faces seven FIRs related to the violence. He had sought protection from coercive action, claiming repeated filing of criminal cases against him, and had previously been granted interim protection that was not extended. Notably, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had publicly stated his intention to personally handle Khan's case, and Khan had referred to himself as 'Pushpa' during the election period, a moniker he adopted after a movie character and in response to an IPS officer's warning. Following Khan's withdrawal from the contest, the repoll in Falta saw a high turnout and a significant victory for the BJP candidate.

Former Trinamool Congress MLA Jahangir Khan, also known as 'Pushpa' Khan, was arrested by West Bengal police near the India-Nepal border, weeks after his legal protection from arrest expired and the Calcutta High Court refused to extend it. Khan was a central figure in the controversy surrounding the Falta assembly elections, where repolling was ordered due to alleged irregularities, and he faces seven FIRs related to the violence. He had sought protection from coercive action, claiming repeated filing of criminal cases against him, and had previously been granted interim protection that was not extended. Notably, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had publicly stated his intention to personally handle Khan's case, and Khan had referred to himself as 'Pushpa' during the election period, a moniker he adopted after a movie character and in response to an IPS officer's warning. Following Khan's withdrawal from the contest, the repoll in Falta saw a high turnout and a significant victory for the BJP candidate.

Former Trinamool Congress MLA Jahangir Khan, also known as 'Pushpa' Khan, was arrested by West Bengal police near the India-Nepal border, weeks after his legal protection from arrest expired and the Calcutta High Court refused to extend it. Khan was a central figure in the controversy surrounding the Falta assembly elections, where repolling was ordered due to alleged irregularities, and he faces seven FIRs related to the violence. He had sought protection from coercive action, claiming repeated filing of criminal cases against him, and had previously been granted interim protection that was not extended. Notably, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had publicly stated his intention to personally handle Khan's case, and Khan had referred to himself as 'Pushpa' during the election period, a moniker he adopted after a movie character and in response to an IPS officer's warning. Following Khan's withdrawal from the contest, the repoll in Falta saw a high turnout and a significant victory for the BJP candidate.

Former Trinamool Congress MLA Jahangir Khan was arrested by the West Bengal police on Monday. The TMC's strongman, also known as 'Pusha' Khan, was nabbed from the India-Nepal border.

Khan was at the centre of controversy during the assembly elections after repolling was ordered in his constituency, Falta, following reports of irregularities.

Khan faces seven FIRs linked to the Falta election violence controversy. According to officials, he had been absconding as his legal protection from arrest expired.

The arrest comes weeks after Calcutta HC's vacation bench refused to extend the interim protection in five FIRs registered against the TMC strongman.

Khan had been granted interim protection by Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya till May 26, considering the repolls in Falta on May 21.

Though the state approached Justice Bhattacharyya's bench to vacate the order before the interim protection expired, the judge refused to intervene.

Khan had moved the high court seeking protection from any coercive action by the police, alleging that criminal cases were being repeatedly filed against him.

While addressing a gathering of supporters on May 16, CM Suvendu Adhikari had warned that he would personally handle the case of "Pushpa".

During the assembly elections, Khan had referred to himself as "Pushpa", referring to the smuggler-turned-strongman character played by Allu Arjun in the movie "Pushpa".

In the repoll held in Falta last month, BJP's Debangshu Panda won by a record of 1,09,021 votes. Falta assembly constituency recorded over 88 per cent turnout in the repoll.

Khan had withdrawn his candidature from the contest 48 hours before voting.

How he branded himself as 'Pushpa'

Khan is a close aide of Abhishek Banerjee, the TMC national general secretary and nephew of party supremo Mamata Banerjee. As the candidate for the Falta constituency, Khan reportedly left no stone unturned to establish what many local villagers describe as a reign of terror.

This caught the attention of Ajay Pal Sharma, an IPS officer of UP cadre who had been posted in Falta as a special observer. Sharma is known for his 'Singham' image. An encounter specialist, Sharma, immediately reached Khan's locality and issued a stern warning to the potential troublemakers.

Khan hit back, branding himself as 'Pushpa'.

Setback for TMC

Khan's arrest is a big setback from TMC. The party suffered a major downfall following their defeat in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. Following the loss, the party also faced internal rebellion and discontent over rising authority of party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. 

The recent mob attack on Abhishek, when he visited Sonarpur in the South 24 Parganas district, was also against the backdrop of highly volatile post-election tensions in West Bengal.

He was heckled, pelted with eggs, shoes and mud. Black flags were visible at multiple locations, with protesters raising "go back" slogans.  

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