A single-judge Bench of the Calcutta High Court has provided interim protection to Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, in response to an FIR filed against him. The FIR alleged that Adhikari made derogatory remarks about Prasun Bandyopadhyay, a former IPS officer and current district vice-president of Trinamool Congress in Malda district.
Justice Suvra Ghosh, presiding over the case, not only granted interim protection to Adhikari but also instructed the police not to take any coercive action based on the FIR lodged at Chanchal Police Station in Malda. The investigation into the matter will proceed, with Adhikari required to cooperate with the Investigating Officers.
While the investigation continues, Adhikari has been excused from physically appearing at the Chanchal Police Station. If necessary, he will be questioned virtually by the Investigating Officers. Prasun Bandyopadhyay, who contested in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls from Malda (Uttar) constituency but was defeated, filed the complaint against Adhikari after the latter’s alleged offensive remarks on January 2.
Adhikari, during a public meeting in the Kalambagan area under Chanchal Police Station, reportedly launched a verbal attack on Prasun Bandyopadhyay, labeling him as “a robber, a lecher, and a characterless person.” Following this incident, Bandyopadhyay lodged a complaint at Chanchal Police Station, leading to the registration of the FIR against Adhikari. Adhikari sought the dismissal of the FIR, which was addressed by Justice Ghosh’s Bench, resulting in the grant of interim protection.
