Home Ministry Seeks Report From Bengal Govt Over 'False' Cases Being Lodged Against Oppn Leaders

The move by the Home Ministry came after the PMO wrote a letter to the ministry and attached a letter by Suvendu Adhikari, who is also the Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee

Source : PTI

The Union Home Ministry on Friday sought a report "immediately" from the West Bengal government on allegations by BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari that "false and fabricated" cases were registered against opposition leaders and workers in the state, ANI reported.

The move by the Home Ministry came after the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) wrote a letter to the ministry and attached a letter by Adhikari, who is also the Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly, in which he claimed registration of "false and fabricated" cases against opposition members.

The letter was sent by Mrutyunjay Tripathy, Union Home under-secretary to HK Dwivedi, chief secretary of West Bengal on March 10. 

"I am directed to forward herewith a copy of letter received from Prime Minister's Office along with a copy of letter of Suvendu Adhikari, alleging registration false and fabricated cases against opposition leaders and party workers by the West Bengal government," stated the letter sent to the West Bengal government.

"As the issue raised in the petition is concerned with the government of West Bengal, it is requested that the matter may please be looked into appropriately and the report in the matter may please be furnished to this ministry immediately," the Home Ministry letter said.

On several occassions in the past, the BJP has accused Mamata Banerjee of misusing the state administration and police to threaten party MLAs with false cases. 

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In July 2021, Suvendu Adhikari, MLA from Nandigram, had alleged that he was being subjected to "political vendetta" since he was an Opposition party leader and the cases were registered against him with "false claims".

He had then approached the Calcutta High Court seeking an order directing quashing of the FIRs against him.

Adhikari had also pleaded in the writ petition transfer of the criminal cases against him to the CBI for an "impartial investigation".