BJP Government Reopens Controversial West Bengal Cases, From 2021 Post‑Poll Violence to RG Kar Rape‑Murder

The moment Suvendu Adhikari took oath as West Bengal’s chief minister, a flurry of police orders began to land on desks across the state. In plain language, the new BJP‑led government announced it would reopen a raft of cases it says were either diluted or deliberately shelved by the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) regime.

It sounds almost cinematic: ‘law of the ruler’ versus ‘rule of law’. Adhikari has been quick to quote that line, insisting that under the former, investigations were filtered through political lenses, while his administration promises impartiality. Whether it’s rhetoric or reality, the numbers are now out there for anyone to count.

According to the Home Department’s latest figures, police have launched 458 fresh inquiries, filed 181 new FIRs and even reopened 59 cases that were once marked closed. Birbhum district alone accounts for roughly 170 of those newly registered complaints – ranging from murder and attempted murder to assault and criminal intimidation. Over 175 arrests have already been made in connection with the 2021 post‑poll violence, and more than 100 illegal‑mining cases are being pursued in the same region.

The renewed focus isn’t limited to the 2021 elections. In Birbhum, the horrific 2022 Bogtui massacre – where several women and children were burnt alive after a local TMC leader was killed – has resurfaced in the headlines. Police recently nabbed an absconding suspect, Rohan Sheikh (aka Kismot Sheikh), breathing fresh momentum into a case that had largely faded from public memory.

Another case that’s now back on the agenda is the 2025 death of 13‑year‑old Tamanna Khatun in Nadia district. She perished when a bomb detonated during a TMC victory rally. While the earlier probe labelled it a clash between rival local groups, the BJP alleges a politically motivated attack on a family aligned with the CPI(M). After the fresh review, West Bengal police arrested 13 more suspects from Haryana and Maharashtra and replaced the Special Public Prosecutor handling the case. Tamanna’s mother, who had said she “lost all hope,” now watches the proceedings with cautious optimism.

Perhaps the most high‑profile investigation to be resurrected is the 2024 RG Kar Medical College rape‑and‑murder case. Allegations of evidence tampering, mishandling and deliberate suppression have prompted the suspension of three senior IPS officers who were once in charge of Kolkata Police. The state government says it will also look into the cases filed against doctors and civilians who protested after the incident, while pursuing those accused of vandalising the hospital campus.

Beyond criminal matters, the Adhikari administration has also launched a probe into a sprawling ₹635‑crore advertising scam allegedly linked to an agency close to Mamata Banerjee. The claim is that the previous government funneled public money through murky channels – another bullet point in the BJP’s narrative of exposing “years of cover‑ups”.

The TMC, predictably, fires back. Party leaders argue the reopening of cases looks more like political targeting than genuine justice. They point out that if the new government truly wants a level playing field, it should also revisit older incidents such as the 2018 panchayat‑poll violence, regardless of who benefits.

For now, the BJP’s promise to “right the wrongs” appears to be translating into a steady stream of fresh FIRs, reopened cases and, inevitably, a fresh round of political sparring. Whether this marks the beginning of a truly impartial legal overhaul or simply another chapter in West Bengal’s partisan tug‑of‑war remains to be seen.