Intensifying Investigations Ahead of West Bengal Assembly Elections
Political Climate Heats Up as Elections Approach
As the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections draw near, not only is the political landscape becoming more active, but there is also a noticeable increase in activity within central investigative agencies. With voting scheduled in two phases on April 23 and April 29, agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) have accelerated their investigations into high-profile cases involving key candidates from the Trinamool Congress (TMC). From allegations of municipal recruitment scams to land grabbing, four TMC candidates have been summoned and interrogated by central agencies over the past month.
Sujit Bose: Fire Minister and Candidate from Bidhannagar
Sujit Bose, the TMC candidate and Fire Minister from Bidhannagar, was summoned by the ED on April 6 regarding alleged corruption in appointments made by various district municipal bodies. Bose has been winning from Bidhannagar for three consecutive terms, having defeated BJP's Sabyasachi Dutta by nearly 8,000 votes in the 2021 elections. The ED is investigating alleged fund transfers linked to irregularities worth millions in municipal appointments across the state. The inquiry encompasses 123 municipalities and seven municipal corporations in Bengal, including several in and around Kolkata, such as South Dumdum, Kamrahati, Panihati, North Dumdum, and Baranagar. The ED initiated its investigation based on an FIR filed by the CBI following directives from the Calcutta High Court, which ordered the CBI to probe allegations of 1,500 recruitments made in exchange for money between 2014 and 2018.
Rathin Ghosh: Candidate from Madhyamgram
Rathin Ghosh, a veteran candidate from Madhyamgram, was summoned by the ED on April 9 as part of the ongoing investigation into the municipal recruitment scam. Ghosh, who served as the Minister of Food and Supplies in Mamata Banerjee's third government, has been elected to the West Bengal Assembly from Madhyamgram in 2011, 2016, and 2021. In October 2023, the ED conducted raids related to alleged irregularities in recruitments made by the state's municipal bodies. The ED team visited Ghosh's residence in Michael Nagar, North 24 Parganas, and searched 12 other locations. The agency claims that approximately 1,500 individuals were illegally recruited by various municipal bodies in the state between 2014 and 2018, allegedly involving bribes. The Calcutta High Court had previously directed the CBI to investigate the alleged scam in municipal recruitments, which included findings from the ED's investigation into a school recruitment scam.
Debasis Kumar: Current MLA and Candidate from Rashbehari
Debasis Kumar, the TMC candidate from the Rashbehari constituency in South Kolkata and a member of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) mayoral council, has been accused of involvement in a land grabbing case aided by a private construction group and the KMC. He has been summoned for questioning for the third time in the last 15 days, having been interrogated at the ED office on March 30 and April 3. Allegations suggest that a private construction group encroached upon land with the assistance of the KMC, where Kumar serves as a council member.
Manab Kumar Parua: First-Time Candidate from Bhagwanpur
Manab Kumar Parua, contesting elections for the first time from Bhagwanpur, appeared before the NIA regarding a blast case from 2022. The explosion, which occurred on December 3, 2022, in Naruabilla village of Bhupatinagar, East Midnapore, reportedly resulted in the deaths of three individuals linked to the TMC. The deceased were identified as Raj Kumar Manna, the homeowner and local TMC polling booth committee president, along with TMC workers Biswajit Gayen and Budhadev Manna. Following a Calcutta High Court order, the NIA took over the investigation from the state police in June 2023. An NIA team faced an attack while attempting to arrest local TMC workers during their investigation, resulting in injuries to an NIA officer. In July 2024, the NIA filed a charge sheet naming the three deceased and three others, including Parua and another TMC leader, Naba Kumar Panda.