Fake reporter arrested

BALURGHAT: Police arrested a person from Balurghat for his alleged involvement in extorting money from a businessman by the name of a press reporter on Monday. He has been identified as Shibu Laha (37). Laha hails from Balurghat's Chalkbhabani area as learnt from a police source.

Police said a group of such fake press reporters have been active in the region over the past few months. They have been involved in many illegal activities like money extortion and paid news report. Police said Laha is one of them.

A local Balurghat trader had lodged a police complaint last week against him. He said Laha demanded money from him. As per police suggestion, the trader called him to handover the cash according to his demand on Monday at Balurghat thana more and caught him red handed.

Laha will be produced before the court on Tuesday.

While interrogating Laha, police learnt he works as a press reporter for a weekly newspaper published from North Dinajpur and found that the newspaper has no existence at all.

Police said separate complaints have been lodged against Debdulal Das and Amit Ranjan Das too on the same grounds. They have been absconding since the arrest warrant issued.