A home guard attached to Kolkata Police’s Ultadanga traffic guard was arrested on Monday by the state’s Anti-Corruption Branch in connection with an alleged network that collected money to allow trucks and lorries to violate no-entry and one-way restrictions, according to a report by Bartaman Patrika.
The home guard was called for questioning after his name reportedly emerged from the mobile phone of Sanjib Nandi, also known as Bappa, who was arrested in Howrah in September in connection with alleged collections made on behalf of traffic guards. Investigators questioned the home guard about vehicles that were allegedly allowed to move through restricted roads in exchange for money.
According to the report, investigators also presented information showing that Nandi had sent money to the home guard through an e-wallet or in cash. During prolonged questioning, the home guard allegedly avoided several questions and could not provide a satisfactory explanation for why traffic rules had been breached. The Anti-Corruption Branch subsequently arrested him.
The investigation began after Nandi was allegedly identified as a person who collected money for several traffic guards in Kolkata, Howrah, Bidhannagar and Baruipur. The report states that he arranged for trucks and lorries to use no-entry roads and one-way routes after receiving payment. Information obtained during his questioning allegedly led investigators to the names of multiple officers-in-charge, sergeants, civic volunteers and home guards connected with different traffic guards.
The alleged payment trail has widened the case beyond an individual traffic violation. The report says that money was delivered to personnel either digitally through e-wallets or in cash, prompting the Anti-Corruption Branch to question several Kolkata Police traffic personnel. The agency is examining whether payments collected through intermediaries were distributed among other personnel and how vehicles were permitted to bypass restrictions intended to regulate heavy traffic.
The home guard was also questioned about the destination of the money allegedly transferred by Nandi. According to Bartaman Patrika, he effectively acknowledged that the money was connected to corruption, but did not answer questions about who else received a share. The report does not state whether any traffic officer or other personnel have been formally arrested in this phase of the investigation.
The case places attention on the administrative chain behind everyday traffic enforcement. No-entry restrictions and one-way systems are used to manage freight movement, reduce congestion and protect road users on routes where vehicle size and traffic volume can create operational risks. If such restrictions are selectively relaxed for payment, enforcement becomes dependent not on published rules but on informal arrangements with intermediaries.
The Anti-Corruption Branch’s next steps will determine the wider scope of the alleged network. Investigators are expected to examine the payment records, the vehicles identified during questioning and the roles of the traffic personnel whose names have emerged in the case.
