"How many cases against Suvendu?" LoP approaches HC seeking "missing" info before nomination

Suvendu Adhikari has approached the Calcutta High Court seeking urgent intervention against the state police. Adhikari, the Leader of Opposition and the BJP’s challenger against Mamata Banerjee, alleges that the police are intentionally withholding accurate information regarding the total number of criminal cases registered against him. This information is critical for the mandatory submission of Form 26—an affidavit where every candidate must declare their full criminal record, financial status, and educational qualifications under oath.

The legal history between Adhikari and the state administration has been a series of high-stakes court battles. While Justice Rajasekhar Mantha had initially granted him blanket protection from new FIRs in 2022, a later judgment in October 2025 by Justice Joy Sengupta removed this indefinite "interim protection." However, in a significant relief during the same ruling, the High Court had dismissed 15 cases against him, labeling them as baseless or politically motivated. Despite this, the lack of a consolidated and updated list of active cases from the police department has now pushed the BJP leader back to the courtroom.

The timing of this legal move is particularly sensitive, as any discrepancy in the candidate's affidavit can lead to the rejection of their nomination papers or future legal challenges to their election. Adhikari’s team argues that without a transparent report from the police, filing a "complete and correct" Form 26 is nearly impossible. Recent incidents, such as the alleged attack on his convoy in Chandrakona, have added to the list of litigations, where the court had provided him protection from arrest only until February 19, 2026.