'Bed with gold panels': How trap-door led Bengal cops to TMC neta's secret luxury flat

HOWRAH: Cops on Tuesday found a concealed luxury flat hidden inside a four-storey building during a raid on the Shibpur home of Trinamool neta Shamim Ahmed, alias Baare.

Locals said the raid also unearthed a teak bed with gold panels but police declined to confirm the detail.

The raid had followed allegations that Baare led a bombing-and-firing attack on a BJP minority cell victory procession in Shil Para Lane on the election result day, leaving a pedestrian and two minority cell functionaries injured.

In another case, Kolkata Police arrested Trinamool neta Narayan Ranjit and his associate Gopal Mallik in Odisha after recovering pistols, magazines and live ammunition from Ranjit's Anandapur home. Ranjit had been absconding since the seizure.

In the Shibpur case, Baare, president of HMC ward 36, is absconding along with his family. His wife, Shamima Bano, is the Trinamnool councillor of the same ward.

Howrah cops said the house appeared ordinary until officers discovered a staircase and a trap-door leading to a hidden second-floor flat.

While the rest of the house had basic furnishing, the concealed section had luxury interiors, CCTV cameras, a bedroom, living room, kitchen and bathroom.

Police said the value of the items will be assessed. BJP neta Omprakash Singh accused Baare of extortion while former minister Arup Roy said the guilty should face action if evidence emerges.