BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari accuses CM Mamata Banerjee of ‘criminal intimidation’, files complaint

Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal, has officially filed a complaint against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday over her statement, “If they arrest our four, we will arrest eight of their leaders,” issued during a political gathering on Thursday. Adhikari accused the Trinamool Congress Supremo of engaging in ‘criminal intimidation’ and issuing threats at the political gathering.

The formal complaint particularly highlights Banerjee's address at the Netaji Indoor Stadium on Thursday. According to the complaint, she allegedly made statements suggesting that if four members of her political party were wrongly imprisoned, she would ensure the arrest of eight opposition party members on murder charges under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code.

“On 23.11.2023, Hon’ble Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee delivered a speech at the Netaji Indoor Stadium (which is falling within the jurisdiction of your Police Station) at a political programme of the Trinamool Congress wherein she has passed certain remarks to the effect that four MLAS (Member of Legislative Assembly) of her political party has been put behind bars and that she is taking a stand on behalf of her political party that if they (indicative of me and the members of my political party) keep our members behind the bars, then she will ensure that eight people are put behind bars in allegations of murder envisaged under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code, being the backdated cases of murder,” wrote Adhikari in a letter addressed to the Officer in charge of Hare Street Police Station, and alleged the ruling TMC has exerted its influence to involve him in various ‘vexatious, harassive and concocted cases.’

Adhikari described Banerjee’s statement as "provocative" and "criminally intimidating," and asserted that such statements are not only unfounded but also carry serious consequences, including capital punishment-specific sections of the IPC. Adhikari called upon the police to file an FIR against Mamata Banerjee and others involved in the incident, citing potential violations of various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Section 182 (providing false information), Section 194 (fabricating false evidence), Section 195A (threatening or provoking to induce a person to commit an offense), Section 211 (making false charges with the intent to cause harm), Section 203 (providing false information about a committed offense), Section 505(II) (making statements that create or promote enmity, hatred, or ill-will between classes), and Section 506 (criminal intimidation).

“I have emailed my complaint to the Officer in Charge of the Hare Street Police Station, requesting him to lodge an FIR against the Chief Minister for the comment she made yesterday at the Netaji Indoor Stadium. She threatened, by taking a vow on behalf of her party to arrest eight of our (BJP) people. As the Netaji Indoor Stadium falls under the jurisdiction of Hare Street Police Station, I have emailed my complaint to the authorities of the concerned PS. I hope the Police would take appropriate action against her for intimidation and threatening to misuse Administrative Authority,” informed BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, taking to social media platform ‘X’. The BJP leader stated that he would wait for 72 hours before approaching the ACJM Court, should the police not enforce the FIR.​