Enough is enough: Calcutta HC warns Bengal govt over FIRs against Abhishek Banerjee

The Calcutta High Court warned the West Bengal government over repeated FIRs against Abhishek Banerjee and extended protection from coercive action in three cases. The court said the allegations could be investigated but signalled it may require prior permission for any fresh case against him.Will bar more FIRs: Calcutta HC warns Bengal over cases against Abhishek (Credits: PTI)The Calcutta High Court on Monday came down heavily on the West Bengal government over the repeated registration of first information reports (FIRs) against Trinamool Congress MP and national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, warning that it could pass a blanket order restraining the State from filing any more cases against him without the Court’s permission.“Will pass blanket order barring more FIRs against Abhishek Banerjee,” Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya said during the hearing of petitions seeking the quashing of three FIRs lodged against the TMC leader.The Court also extended protection to Banerjee from coercive action in the three FIRs, which were lodged on July 4, July 11 and July 23.“Enough is enough. From May 2026, I am hearing these matters. Now I am going to pass, relying upon Suvendu Adhikari’s order, a blanket injunction passed by a coordinate bench. I am telling you that now I am fed up,” Justice Bhattacharyya said, warning the State over what he described as repeated complaints of a similar nature. The three petitions before the Court seek the cancelling of FIRs relating primarily to allegations concerning the community healthcare initiative ‘Sebaashray’, launched by Banerjee last year. Two complaints were filed on July 4 and July 11, with one filed by Abhijit Das, also known as Bobby, and another by a different individual. The subject matter of the two complaints was the same.The Court noted that it had already passed an order concerning other FIRs on August 25 and said it wanted to examine whether separate orders were required in the present cases. Justice Bhattacharyya questioned the direct link between the allegations and Banerjee, while making it clear that the allegations themselves could be investigated.“The Court is of the opinion that an investigation should be conducted, but there is no need for custodial interrogation,” the judge said.He further questioned whether the repeated complaints were becoming a means of targeting a single individual.“Every day issues coming one after another based on one complaint and another. If this thing goes on, then I am telling you that I am going to pass an order for blanket injunction,” Justice Bhattacharyya said.The Court also took note of the actions of Abhijit Das ‘Bobby’, Banerjee’s political opponent, who has lost twice in Lok Sabha elections and has now been filing repeated complaints.The judge questioned whether Das was filing one complaint after another simply because he had lost the elections twice.The State, however, described Das as a “whistleblower”.Appearing for Das, advocate Jayanta Narayan Chatterjee argued that losing an election twice could not prevent a citizen from filing a complaint. He alleged that Banerjee had been “looting the state for the past 15 years” and claimed that medical treatment at ‘Sebaashray’ was administered by students.Chatterjee argued that the investigation should not be halted and that the Court should not prevent a common citizen from approaching it. He also described Banerjee as a “super-powerful” individual.The judge asked Chatterjee to place his arguments in a supplementary affidavit and questioned him over his conduct in court. “Why are you shouting in the courtroom?” Justice Bhattacharyya asked.The State’s Additional Advocate General Rajdeep Majumdar submitted that expired medicines had been used at the facility. The State also alleged that ‘Sebaashray’ was operated in violation of the Clinical Establishments Act and that sex determination tests were conducted there.The Court, however, said these were general allegations and that it had failed to discern any direct link between Banerjee and the accusations.“There may well be a case of medical negligence here, but what is the connection to Abhishek Banerjee? It could be a case of a doctor’s negligence. You should investigate and file a charge sheet,” the judge said.The Court said it was not satisfied with the nature of the allegations against Banerjee and reiterated its concern over the repeated registration of cases against him.The remarks came as the Court considered petitions seeking the cancellation of the three FIRs and protection from coercive action against the TMC MP.- EndsPublished By: Sayan GangulyPublished On: Sep 7, 2026 22:32 IST