At least two Trinamool candidates summoned by central investigating agencies ahead of polls

Trinamool Congress candidates contesting Assembly polls summoned by investigating agencies weeks ahead of the high-stakes West Bengal Assembly elections. At least two candidates of the ruling party have been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate and the National Investigating Agency over the past few days. 

TMC leadership accused the Bharatiya Janta Party of using the central agencies to harass their candidates. 

Bhangabanpur candidate from the ruling party, Manab Kumar Parua was asked to appear before the NIA officials on April 2. Two days back, Rashbehari candidate for TMC and sitting MLA Debasish Kumar appeared before the ED officials on Monday (March 30). 

“Whereas it appears that you are acquainted with the circumstances of the case noted below, which I am investigating under Chapter XII of the Code of Criminal Procedure, you are hereby required to attend before me on 02.04.2026,” the letter from NIA officials to Mr Parua stated. He has been summoned to answer questions related to his involvement in the case. 

Meanwhile, Mr Kumar was summoned in connection with a land-grabbing case. Mr Kumar is also a member of the Mayor-in-Council (MMiC) of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC). Mr Kumar’s name had allegedly surfaced during an investigation of a private company accused of land-grabbing. 

“The main aim is to tie up the candidates in these investigations during the elections and harass them, waste their whole day… Why couldn’t they call after the elections? Why were you not active till now and suddenly sending summons in old cases from 2014-15?” senior TMC leader and Beleghata candidate Kunal Ghosh accused. He further claimed that this is a “panic reaction” by the BJP and that the TMC “appreciates” the fear. 

He came down heavily on the BJP and said that if the BJP had faith in their leaders, they would not have to use central agencies. 

Another TMC candidate also echoed Mr Ghosh’s accusations and said that the central agencies are being used to keep the TMC candidates engaged and not allow them enough time to campaign for the upcoming elections. 

“People will not vote for them (BJP)… that is why they are harassing us like this. But the more they try to harass us, the more the voters will get angry against BJP and not vote for them,” the TMC leader said. 

Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien claimed that the BJP knows they will lose the polls in Bengal that is why they are using these “tricks” to avoid a humiliating defeat. 

In a related development, Shantanu Sinha Biswas, Deputy Commissioner of the Special Branch, Kolkata Police was also summoned by ED officials in relation to a coal sc coal scam. He has been asked to appear before the ED officials on April 6.