FIR filed against Abhishek Banerjee over alleged provocative election speeches and remarks

An FIR has been lodged against Abhishek Banerjee, Trinamool Congress national general secretary and Diamond Harbour MP, at Bidhannagar Cyber Crime police station over allegations related to provocative speeches made during the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election campaign. The case was registered based on a complaint submitted by social activist Rajib Sarkar, who alleged that Banerjee made threatening remarks targeting Union home minister Amit Shah at multiple campaign events.

According to the complaint, Rajib Sarkar submitted a written application at Baguiati police station on May 5, a day after the declaration of the assembly election results. The complaint alleged that between April 27 and May 3, Banerjee delivered speeches at several rallies that could provoke unrest and disturb harmony among different groups. Links to videos and excerpts of speeches were attached with the complaint submitted to police authorities.

Police registered the FIR under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Representation of the People Act. The invoked sections include BNS 192 related to provocation with intent to incite rioting, BNS 196 related to promoting enmity and disturbing harmony among groups, BNS 351(2) related to criminal intimidation and threats, and BNS 353(1)(c) related to spreading false or misleading information and rumours. Sections 123(2) and 125 of the Representation of the People Act were also included in the case.

The complaint also referred to remarks allegedly made by Banerjee during a rally in Kolkata on April 7, where he was accused of issuing indirect threats regarding political opponents and leaders from Delhi. The FIR stated that some statements delivered during campaign events could create pressure among different sections of society and affect public order and communal harmony. Sub-inspector Somnath Singh Roy was assigned to investigate the case.

The FIR was registered amid heightened political tension in West Bengal following the assembly election results and allegations of post-poll violence across the state. Around the same period, Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee approached the Calcutta High Court alleging attacks on party workers and vandalism of party offices after the election results. The court directed the state government to maintain law and order and ensure the safe return of displaced persons irrespective of political affiliation.