Kolkata police have arrested history-sheeter Bablu Ghosh alias Nanti from Howrah on charges of illegal possession and use of arms, police said.
Nanti and one of his associates Sheikh Adil Hossain were arrested from Bagnan in Howrah district late on Sunday.
Nanti, who is originally from Renia in Sonarpur, has been operating on the southern fringes of the city and has multiple cases of extortion, murder, attempt to murder and cases of illegal possession of arms against him, the police said.
The police said they had arrested two of Ghosh’s associates — Amit Malakar and Sanjib Sharma — on October 22 from Howrah’s flower market for illegal possession of arms. Based on their statement, Ghosh and Hossain were held.
Earlier this year in September, Ghosh’s son Shubho was arrested for allegedly opening fire at a real estate developer in Bansdroni by inserting guns through a locked collapsible gate. One person was injured in the firing.
Purported CCTV footage had emerged from the residence of the developer showing four men outside his house, and some others showing five men. At least two men were holding guns.
Senior officers said they were investigating if Ghosh had any role in the shootout.
“Nanti Ghosh had been active in Sonarpur, Narendrapur, Bansdroni and Garia for the past few years. His name has emerged in several criminal cases for which he has been arrested earlier also,” said an officer.
In July 2015, a group of young men who had been hustled out of a bar for dancing on the tables in Thakurpukur, had returned after a while to fire between eight and 10 rounds in the direction of the building, killing a 24-year-old by-stander and injuring two others. Ghosh - who was identified as the prime accused, was arrested with murder charge at that time from Gujarat.
Ghosh and Hossain were produced before the court on Monday and remanded in police custody.