The anti-corruption branch of Bengal police arrested the purported personal assistant of Trinamul’s Tehatta MLA Tapas Saha on Saturday morning on the charge of taking money from unemployed youths by making false job promises.

The action comes in the wake of chief minister Mamata Banerjee last week asking police to act against corruption, irrespective of political colour.

Saha denied that the accused Prabir Kayal was ever his personal assistant and claimed he had no clue about Prabir’s dealings, but acknowledged that the latter was like his “brother”. Two of Prabir’s aides have also been arrested.

Two weeks ago, over a dozen persons from Nadia’s Tehatta, Palashipara and Karimpur had lodged complaints against the Tehatta MLA and his purported PA, Prabir, for collecting about Rs 16 crore by making false job promises, ration dealerships and other benefits since 2016.

Three complaints against the MLA and his purported aide had reached Trinamul general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.

Complainants included common people, party workers, relatives of Nadia Trinamul leaders and even a close relative of the MLA.

Prabir was arrested from a hideout at Raidighi in South 24-Parganas along with his close aides Shyamal Kayal and Sunil Mondal.

MLA Saha, however, claimed that Prabir never worked as his PA.

“He was like my brother, very close to me, but never worked as my personal assistant. In fact, I never had any such support staff,” Saha said while claiming he had no connection with the alleged activities of Prabir.

“I have no knowledge on what Prabir has done. If anybody can prove that I took money, I shall submit my resignation as an MLA and quit the party,” Saha said.

However, Subha Saha, a relative of the MLA who sent his complaint to Abhishek, said: “Tapas Saha took Rs 12 lakh from me. Seven years have passed but no job has been given to me. Now I want the money back as my parents are very ill. But he is not responding at all.”

Complainant Soumya Nandi, who is the son-in-law of the brother of Trinamul’s Krishnagar organising district chief and party MLA Kallol Khan, claimed to have paid Tapas Saha Rs 50,000.

Both alleged that Tapas Saha had introduced them to Prabir, who took from them their qualification documents and money.

Prabir absconded after the CID team arrived at Tehatta on Wednesday and questioned some of the complainants.

“Once the allegations were primarily found to be true by the CID with several supporting evidence against Prabir and his aides, it became necessary for the investigating officers to arrest him,” a senior police officer of the anti-corruption branch said in Calcutta.

On Friday night, the anti-corruption branch conducted raids in Calcutta, Howrah and Raidighi in connection with the case and arrested Prabir, a resident of Khaspur-Boyarbada village of Tehatta.

Most of the complainants who wrote to Abhishek, however, were not happy with the arrest. They alleged that the arrest of Prabir might be an attempt to save the MLA.

“Prabir Kayal is a small fry and he was used by the MLA to collect money from people. Prabir did nothing without the knowledge of MLA Saha, who literally looted us and now refuses to return the money,” one of the complainants said.

“We are doubtful if at all the real culprit will be caught,” he added.

The Nadia Trinamul leadership, however, was optimistic that the action taken by the government would convey a strong message to the people against corruption.

“An investigation has started and everything will come to light soon,” Krishnagar organising committee president Kallol Khan said.

A day after Mamata asked the police to act freely against people involved in irregular activities without considering political affiliations, her party MP Mahua Moitra in a Facebook post asked people to come forward and file complaints with the police or tell her directly even if the accused were influential.

Party insiders claimed that Mahua’s post was aimed at MLA Saha. Both the Assembly constituencies — Tehatta and Palashipara — which Tapas Saha has been representing since 2016, fall under her Lok Sabha constituency.

“Unfortunately, in the rural poor constituencies, our unemployed youth are very vulnerable and susceptible to frauds who could be trapped through false job promises. It becomes a vicious circle where the victim doesn’t want to lodge complaints formally and we cannot take action,” Mahua had then told The Telegraph.