Suvendu puts erstwhile Trinamool regime under major legal scrutiny :::: West Bengal govt sets up Commissions of Inquiry to probe Corruption and Crimes against women after 2021

 Bengal govt sets up panels to probe corruption, crimes against women after 2021

The move effectively places the administration in West Bengal under the previous government led by Mamata Banerjee, whose Trinamool Congress (TMC) had won a third consecutive term in the 2021 Assembly polls, under major legal scrutiny.  

Newly elected West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday announced that his government has constituted two commissions headed by ex-High Court judges to probe instances of atrocities against women and girls and institutional corruption that have allegedly taken place in the state "after" 2021.

The probe panel focusing on cases of violence against women will be headed by former Calcutta High Court judge Samapti Chatterjee, with IPS officer Damyanti Sen, who solved the Park Street rape case in 2012, as a member secretary.  

Another commission, headed by retired Calcutta High Court Justice Biswajit Basu, will probe alleged cases of financial irregularities in various government schemes, including mid-day meal, during the same period. 

Senior IPS officer K Jayaraman will also be a part of the anti-corruption panel.

The committee will also look into allegations of 'cut money," which refers to a bribe or unofficial commission extorted by local officials or politicians from funds disbursed to beneficiaries of government welfare schemes, according to CM Adhikari.

"The committees are scheduled to begin functioning on June 1," he said. 

The formation of the two panels was declared after the chief minister chaired his second Cabinet meeting earlier in the day.

Damayanti Sen, who solved Park Street case

This came days after his government ordered the administration to carry out fresh scrutiny of 2021 post-poll violence cases, among other instructions. According to the directives, police officials have been asked to reopen and thoroughly investigate the cases wherever lapses in investigation are found.

The government said there were “serious complaints” regarding the earlier investigations into political violence linked to the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections.

The order stated that Final Reports (FRTs) submitted in connection with post-poll violence incidents must be reviewed carefully and necessary legal action taken wherever required.