A resident of Shantiniketan, West Bengal, has come forward and accused ruling party Trinamool Congress (TMC) spokesperson Jamshed Ali Khan and his associates of threats, extortion, and harassment over a fabricated accident claim. OpIndia spoke to the victim, who narrated the series of events that led to months of torturous intimidation at the hands of goons linked to the ruling party in West Bengal.
The ordeal began in October this year when a car being driven by the victim’s sister-in-law collided with a motorcycle. The victim said that the matter has since escalated into a campaign of intimidation and media propaganda against him. The victim, whose identity has been hidden for security reasons, said that he was not even present at the spot when the accident happened. However, he is being consistently harassed and forced to pay money in the name of compensation.
The alleged accident and initial threats
On 31 October 2024, the victim’s sister-in-law’s car (which is in the victim’s sister’s name) collided with a bike on which three individuals were riding. The incident took place near Sangeet Bhawan in Shantiniketan, West Bengal. The victim noted that CCTV footage of the incident corroborated the fact that it was a minor accident.
After the accident, the victim’s sister-in-law rushed to the three individuals and asked if they were all right. He said that the bikers admitted it was their fault and left without filing any complaint. Initially, they thought it was over, but to their horror, a man identified as Wasim Akram approached the victim and accused him of fleeing the scene of the accident. TMC spokesperson Jamshed Ali Khan accompanied him. They demanded that the victim must pay Rs 1 lakh to them as compensation.
The victim explained that he was not even in the vicinity of the region where the incident took place. He further advised Akram and Khan to file an official complaint with the police so that they could claim compensation using the insurance. However, Akram and his associates took a different approach and started stalking the victim. He said, “Wherever I go, they find me and try to extort money through persistent threats.”
When he told his friends about the matter, they advised him to seek original medical bills. He said, “My friends advised me that I must visit the so-called injured man (Ansar Ali) to see if he has any real medical bills. When asked for the bills, Ansar Ali could not furnish a single bill, claiming that he has yet to receive a bill from the hospital. The family could not even furnish a single prescription or report.”
Escalation of threats and harassment
The matter escalated on 27 November when Wasim Akram and one of his associates, SK Rahul, visited the property belonging to the victim. They posed as officials from the Sian Muluk Panchayat and coerced the mother of the victim to come outside. They allegedly confiscated her phone to prevent her from seeking help from her son, the victim, or the police. When the wife of the victim intervened and tried to save his mother, the duo allegedly threatened her with sexual violence if the demanded Rs 1 lakh was not paid.
Speaking to OpIndia, the complainant recounted, “On 27 November, at around 9:00 pm, Wasim Akram and SK Rahul reached my property. They told the security guard that they were officials from the Sian Muluk Panchayat and needed to meet my mother immediately. Once my mother was in their vicinity, they took her phone away lest she called me and threatened her out of the property. My wife reached for my mother’s rescue. The duo began to threaten my wife and my mother with dire consequences, including sexual assault if I didn’t pay them one lakh rupees. We filed an FIR against the duo.”
He added that his wife somehow managed to call him. He rushed to his property with the police and filed an FIR. This was when the police firmly asked the accused party to file a complaint with the information of the vehicle involved so that they could not harass the victim in the future.
The victim further noted that despite filing a police report, the harassment has not stopped. In subsequent days, the victim received numerous calls from unknown numbers claiming to be representatives of local panchayat officials. They allegedly pressured the victim to settle the matter.
Allegations against TMC spokesperson
Speaking to OpIndia, the victim alleged that TMC spokesperson Jamshed Ali Khan directly threatened him to withdraw the complaint. He further demanded that he pay Wasim Akram’s lawyer’s fees and bail amount. When the victim refused to pay any money, Khan allegedly attempted to smear his reputation using local media. The victim shared several news clippings from local papers and news channels where he was painted as the perpetrator.
On 28 November, the victim went to the police station to get a copy of the FIR. As he was filled with anxiety and haste, he forgot to lock his car. When he came back, he was shocked to see a TMC board on his car. He ignored it and got back home. However, later he received a threat that a complaint would be filed against him for illegally using a TMC board without being affiliated with the party.
In his statement, the victim said, “Jamshed Ali Khan is openly threatening me with physical assault if I don’t pay up the claimed amount and for daring to file these FIRs.”
Later, he received a call from his friend who requested him to settle the matter. This time, the victim budged and paid Rs 25,000 to Ansar Ali’s son, Sheikh Anwar Ali. He said that though he paid the money, extortion attempts did not stop. He has since filed a second FIR on 11 December, where he detailed the threats and attempts to coerce him into signing an apology letter.
Evidence and ongoing investigation
The victim said that there is substantial evidence, including CCTV footage, voice recordings, call logs, and financial transaction records, to support his claims. Despite the complaints he has filed, the accused parties continue to threaten him and extort money from him. Though the local police are helpful, and the inspector looking into the case firmly told the accused to leave the victim alone and file an FIR to get compensation from the insurance company, the accused continued their attempts to extort money.
Speaking to OpIndia, the victim said, “Thankfully, there was CCTV footage of the accident that supported our side of the story, otherwise they [the accused] would have made my life hell.” He added that the only thing he wants is justice and a way to escape the alleged extortion racket.
