Who Is Swarup Biswas? Ex-Bengal Minister Aroop Biswas's Brother Arrested What Are The Charges Against Him?

(MENAFN- Live Mint) The Kolkata Police on Thursday arrested Swarup Biswas, brother of former West Bengal minister Aroop Biswas, in connection with a case registered at New Alipore Police Station under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Police said the case was filed following a complaint lodged by Simran Pal.

Who is Swarup Biswas?

Swarup Biswas is a leader of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC ) and was, until December 2025, the influential president of the Federation of Cine Technicians & Workers of Eastern India (FCTWEI), according to The Indian Express. He is also involved in Kolkata's sports and cultural circles through his role as an official of Suruchi Sangha, one of the city's best-known Durga Puja organising clubs.

Swarup, months ago, came under criticism from several prominent film technicians, directors and actors who alleged the existence of a toxic“ban culture” in the Bengali film industry. Members of the Tollywood fraternity accused the FCTWEI leadership during his tenure of sidelining, boycotting or blacklisting professionals who were reportedly perceived as insufficiently aligned with the ruling TMC or who declined to meet certain demands.

What are the charges against Swarup Biswas?

"A case vide New Alipore PS Case no 88 dated 04/06/26 u/s 75(1(ii)/308(4)/308(5)/109/351(3)/61 BNS, 2023 read with 25/27 Arms Act was recorded on the basis of letter of complaint of the complainant namely Simran Pal and one of the FIR named accused person namely Swarup Biswas (51), S/ o Late Gosai Lal Biswas of 0/ 5, Durgapur Colony, Kolkata-53, New Alipore was arrested from Sahapur Colony, Kolkata-53 at about 21.00 hrs on 04/06/26 after maintaining all legal formalities," the Kolkata Police mentioned, as per ANI.

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His arrest followed allegations of sexual harassment and extortion made by a makeup artist, who filed a complaint with the police, reported The Indian Express.

According to the complainant, she had been unemployed for nearly two years when she approached Swarup Biswas and his associates at Suruchi Sangha in New Alipore on 20 August 2025, seeking assistance in finding work. She alleged that Biswas, who headed an organisation of makeup artists, demanded money in exchange for helping her secure a job.

The complaint further states that when she approached Biswas again on 4 April this year, she was allegedly told that obtaining employment would require her to make sexual compromises. A police officer said that after she rejected the alleged proposal, Biswas and his associates were accused of attempting to kill her at her residence on 10 April.

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The makeup artist alleged that Biswas, a prominent and influential figure in both the Bengali film industry and regional politics, extorted large sums of money from her and several of her colleagues by invoking promises of welfare support and employment opportunities.

According to her complaint, Biswas allegedly collected over ₹22 lakh from multiple individuals on the pretext of providing jobs. She also claimed that, in one instance last December, he took ₹45,000 from one of her colleagues with the assurance of securing employment.

FIR against Aroop Biswas

This comes after Satadru Dutta, the main organiser of Lionel Messi's GOAT India Tour-Kolkata Edition, filed an FIR against former West Bengal Sports Minister Aroop Biswas, alleging extortion, criminal intimidation, abuse of influence and the illegal diversion and sale of complimentary tickets, accreditation cards and close-proximity passes linked to the high-profile event held in Kolkata last year.

A First Information Report (FIR) registered by Satadru Dutta, the main organiser of Lionel Messi's GOAT India Tour-Kolkata Edition, at Bidhannagar South Police Station has sought a probe into Aroop Biswas and others accused of playing a role in the distribution and monetisation of event access materials issued for the GOAT India Tour–Kolkata Edition headlined by Lionel Messi at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on 13 December, last year.

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According to Dutta, Aroop, then the Sports Minister, repeatedly sought a large number of complimentary tickets, accreditation cards, and close-proximity passes and allegedly pressured the organisers to meet those demands.

"During the organisation of the event, Aroop Biswas, the then Sports Minister, repeatedly demanded a substantial number of complimentary tickets, accreditation cards and close-proximity passes and continuously threatened and pressured me by stating, directly and indirectly, that without his intervention, the event would not be permitted to take place smoothly and would face serious obstacles," the FIR said.

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