Falta TMC Leader Jahangir Khan Arrested From Nepal Border Area

In a major breakthrough, the West Bengal Police's Special Task Force (STF) on Monday arrested Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Jahangir Khan near the Nepal border. Khan, who was at the centre of a major political controversy during the West Bengal Assembly elections and the subsequent repoll in Falta, has been absconding for several days.

Khan, who was fielded by the TMC in the recently concluded election from the Falta constituency in West Bengal, was apprehended during an early morning operation based on specific intelligence inputs. Police suspect that he was attempting to flee to Nepal when he was intercepted and taken into custody.

The STF had been closely tracking Khan's movements after he went absconding. Acting on intelligence regarding his location near the Nepal border area, a team of STF personnel launched an operation and successfully arrested him.

As per reports, seven FIRs have been registered against Jahangir Khan at the Falta Police Station in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. The cases are currently under investigation.

Khan had withdrawn from the Falta repoll contest on May 21 and had largely remained out of public view since polling was held.

Arrest After HC Protection Was Withdrawn

The arrest comes days after the Calcutta High Court's vacation bench refused to extend the interim protection from arrest granted to Khan in five FIRs.

Justice Partha Sarathi Chatterjee referred the matter to a regular bench after declining to continue the protection. Earlier, the court had granted Khan interim protection from arrest until May 26, taking into account the repoll scheduled in Falta on May 21. Khan had approached the Calcutta HC seeking protection from any coercive action by the West Bengal Police, alleging that criminal cases were being repeatedly filed against him.

The cases registered against Jahangir Khan date back since 2019. With the High Court withdrawing all protections on May 26, police no longer faced any legal obstacle in arresting him.

The 'Pushpa' Drama

Jahangir Khan became a widely discussed political figure during the election campaign after comparing himself to ‘Pushpa’, the smuggler-turned-strongman character played by actor Allu Arjun in the popular ‘Pushpa’ films.

The controversy erupted after Ajay Pal Sharma, an Uttar Pradesh-cadre 'enounter specialist' IPS officer appointed by the Election Commission as a police observer in West Bengal, was compared by many to the fictional police character from the ‘Singham’ film franchise.

After raids were conducted by central forces and police at Khan's residence before the elections, led by Ajay Pal Sharma, the TMC leader questioned the police actions and its authority. Responding to the searches at his premises, Khan declared that if the police officer was a ‘lion’, then he is ‘Pushpa’ and would not bow before what he had described as the Election Commission's biased behaviour.

His ‘Jhukega Nahi’ remarks quickly became a major talking point in West Bengal politics during the election campaign.

Suvendu Adhikari's Warning

The BJP-TMC battle in Falta intensified after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari publicly targeted Jahangir Khan ahead of the Falta repoll. Addressing BJP workers in Falta on May 16, just five days before the repoll, Adhikari issued a stern warning without directly naming him.

"He is a designated most notorious criminal and I will personally handle his case. So-called Pushpa is my responsibility now," Adhikari said while addressing party workers. The Chief Minister also urged voters to ensure a BJP victory margin of more than one lakh votes in the constituency.

Why Falta Went For Repoll

The controversy surrounding Falta began during the final phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections on April 29. Multiple allegations of irregularities emerged from polling booths in the Falta constituency. Complaints were made regarding the use of perfume, ink and adhesive tape on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

Responding to the allegations, Suvendu Adhikari demanded that the Election Commission order fresh polling in the constituency. After reviewing the complaints, the Election Commission too ordered a repoll in Falta while declaring results for the remaining 293 Assembly seats on May 4. The BJP went on to form the government in West Bengal with a decisive majority.

Jahangir Withdraws From Contest

The repoll in Falta was held on May 21. Just 48 hours before polling, Jahangir Khan announced his withdrawal from the election contest. Addressing a press conference, Khan said that his dream was to build a ‘golden Falta’ and claimed that CM Suvendu Adhikari had announced a special development package for the constituency.

However, because his withdrawal came only 48 hours before voting, his name and the Trinamool Congress symbol remained on the Electronic Voting Machines.

BJP Records Historic Victory

When the results were announced on May 24, the BJP secured a historic victory in Falta. BJP candidate Debangshu Panda won the seat by a record margin of 1,09,021 votes, surpassing the one-lakh-vote target publicly requested by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.

The victory marked the BJP's highest winning margin in the 2026 Assembly elections, exceeding the party's previous record margin of 1,04,265 votes in Matigara-Naxalbari.

The BJP secured 71.2 per cent of the vote share in Falta, a significant increase from 36.7 per cent in 2021.

The CPI(M) emerged as the runner-up with more than 40,000 votes, while Khan finished fourth with only 7,783 votes despite his name remaining on the ballot.

Following the declaration of results on May 24, Jahangir Khan was rarely seen in public. He was reportedly missing  from both his residence and local party offices, leading to speculation about his whereabouts. Police later tracked his movements through intelligence inputs and eventually arrested him near the Nepal border.