BJP’s West Bengal Government Reopens Historic Violence Cases – From 2021 Poll Aftermath to the RG Kar College Tragedy

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in West Bengal has, almost overnight, breathed new life into a string of long‑standing criminal cases that many believed had been consigned to the archives. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who took office earlier this year, says the move is less about politics and more about correcting what his government calls “investigative lapses” under the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) rule.

It started with a sweeping directive from the Home Department. Every district police chief received orders to go back through the files of the 2021 Assembly‑election violence – the period when the TMC swept the polls but also faced a spate of clashes, arson and, in some places, outright murders. The instruction was clear: reopen any case that shows procedural gaps, file fresh FIRs where the evidence points to cognisable offences, and, if needed, start fresh inquiries.

Numbers are already rolling in. Police have opened 458 new inquiries, logged 181 fresh FIRs and revived 59 dossiers that had been closed years ago. Birbhum district alone accounts for roughly 170 of those newly registered cases – ranging from alleged murders and attempted murders to assault, intimidation and even illegal mining offences. So far, more than 175 arrests have been made in connection with the post‑poll unrest.

One of the most talked‑about revivals is the 2022 Birbhum “Bogtui” massacre. In that horrific incident, houses were set ablaze and several women and children were burned alive after a local TMC leader was killed. The investigation recently nabbed a fugitive suspect, Rohan Sheikh (also known as Kismot Sheikh), giving a fresh jolt to a case that had long lain dormant.

Another sensitive file that’s back on the radar is the 2025 death of 13‑year‑old Tamanna Khatun in Nadia district. She perished when a bomb exploded during a TMC victory procession after a by‑election. The earlier probe labeled it a clash between rival local groups, but the BJP alleges a politically motivated attack on a family linked to the CPI(M). Following a fresh review, police arrested 13 more accused from Haryana and Maharashtra and swapped out the Special Public Prosecutor handling the case. Tamanna’s mother, who had “lost all hope,” now claims the renewed effort has brought a sliver of relief.

Perhaps the most high‑profile revival is the 2024 RG Kar Medical College rape‑and‑murder case, a scandal that rocked Kolkata and drew national headlines. The new administration says the original investigation was marred by evidence tampering, mishandling and attempts to suppress key facts. Three senior IPS officers who oversaw the Kolkata Police at the time have been suspended pending departmental inquiry. The probe also extends to alleged intimidation of doctors and protesters who took to the streets after the incident.

Beyond criminal matters, the Adhikari government has announced a probe into a Rs 635‑crore advertising scam allegedly tied to an agency linked to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The claim is that the previous regime siphoned off funds during high‑profile advertising contracts – a charge the TMC dismisses as pure political theatrics.

The opposition, unsurprisingly, cries foul. TMC leaders argue that if the BJP is truly committed to justice, it should also investigate older incidents like the 2018 panchayat‑poll violence, and not cherry‑pick cases that target their own cadres. “Justice must be blind,” they say, urging the government to act against anyone responsible, regardless of party affiliation.

For Suvendu Adhikari, the narrative is clear. He repeatedly stresses that the former government operated under the “law of the ruler,” where political clout dictated police action. His administration, he claims, is moving toward the “rule of law,” where investigations are guided by facts, not affiliations. Whether this shift will withstand the political cross‑fire remains to be seen, but the flurry of arrests, fresh FIRs and reopened cases suggests the BJP is serious about delivering on its pre‑election promise to dismantle what it calls “years of cover‑ups.”