I wonder if I can rest assured -- before the election ink on my finger fades -- that my home state is at the threshold of a better future, wonders Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (retd).
The BJP has released its election manifesto for West Bengal, promising a hardline stance on infiltration, financial assistance for women and unemployed youth, and the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission for state employees.
In a strategic move for the upcoming West Bengal elections, the BJP has announced its first candidate list, highlighted by Suvendu Adhikari challenging Mamata Banerjee in both Nandigram and Bhabanipur.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a chargesheet in connection with alleged financial irregularities at the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, naming former principal Sandip Ghosh and others as accused.
The Enforcement Directorate on Friday said it has attached assets worth a combined Rs 8 crore of former Indian cricketers, actors and models like Yuvraj Singh, Robin Uthappa, former Trinamool Congress MP Mimi Chakraborty, Sonu Sood and some others as part of its money laundering probe against an 'illegal' betting app named 1xBet.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee led a protest march in Kolkata against Enforcement Directorate searches linked to I-PAC, signaling a show of strength ahead of the 2026 assembly polls. The march featured cultural elements and participation from party members and celebrities.
Kolkata Police have initiated an investigation into the ED officials who conducted a search at the residence and office of I-PAC director Pratik Jain, following a complaint by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleging theft of documents.
In her third letter to Kumar since the SIR began, Banerjee accused the Election Commission of political bias, insensitivity, and high-handedness during the exercise.
Turning her guns on the Election Commission, Banerjee alleged that the BJP had "stolen" the mandate in Maharashtra with the poll panel's help and was now attempting to replicate it in Bengal through the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise by deleting genuine voters' names.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday dramatically turned up at the residence of Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) chief Pratik Jain amid an ongoing Enforcement Directorate raid, alleging that the central agency was attempting to seize the Trinamool Congress's internal documents, hard disks and sensitive data linked to its election strategy.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached assets worth Rs 11.14 crore of former cricketers Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan as part of a money-laundering probe linked to the operations of an alleged illegal betting site, official sources said on Thursday.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticized the BJP following an assault on food vendors at a Bhagavad Gita recital event in Kolkata, asserting that the state would not tolerate intimidation, communal division, or attempts to dictate dietary choices. She vowed stringent action against those responsible and accused the BJP of trying to import a culture of communal division and weaponize religious texts for political mobilization.
Actor and model Urvashi Rautela was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case linked to the online betting platform 1xbet. The investigation involves several celebrities and sportspersons who allegedly used endorsement fees to acquire assets.
The probe pertains to alleged illegal betting apps that are stated to have duped numerous people and investors worth crores of rupees or have evaded a huge amount of taxes.
Actor Sonu Sood was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money-laundering case linked to the online betting app 1xBet. The investigation involves several celebrities and focuses on alleged tax evasion and the duping of individuals.
The Enforcement Directorate questioned Robin Uthappa for over eight hours and recorded his statement in a money laundering case linked to online betting app.
Yuvraj Singh on Tuesday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in a money laundering case linked to an online betting app named 1xBet.
'The police could not save my daughter or bring her justice, but they didn't think twice about beating up women and elderly persons.'
Bharatiya Janata Party dismissed the allegation and said it was only a paper cutting used in a protest.
Agitating junior doctors demanding justice for the deceased woman medic of the Kar Medical College and Hospital and workplace safety continued their hunger strike until death on Sunday in the central part of the Kolkata's Dharmatala area.
Agitating junior doctors in West Bengal continued their fast-unto-death for the third consecutive day on Monday, demanding justice for the rape and murder of a woman medic of the RG Kar hospital and workplace safety even as the state government remained silent to address their issues.
Despite the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance throwing all its weight to snatch Jharkhand from the hands of a Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-headed coalition, the saffron camp suffered a debacle leaving the party's rank and file wondering what had gone wrong.
People from all walks of life -- former students of several educational institutions, clay modellers, rickshaw pullers and junior doctors -- separately hit the streets of Kolkata on Sunday in continued protest over the rape and murder of a medic in a state-run hospital a month ago.
Hazra had made the comment at the party's organisational meeting at Bolpur in Birbhum district. The video clip went viral on Monday evening, but its authenticity could not be verified.
Kolkata experienced a unique and powerful display of civic solidarity when residents turned off their lights for an hour from 9 pm on Wednesday and came down to the streets with burning candles to protest the murder of the doctor at RG Kar hospital and to express support for the deceased doctor's family.
The bypolls were held in six constituencies - Naihati, Haroa, Medinipur, Taldangra, Sitai (SC), and Madarihat (ST) - following the resignation of MLAs who had vacated their assembly seats after securing victories in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
West Bengal Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar on Thursday said that police will listen to the complaints of every individual in Sandeshkhali and strict action will be taken against those found guilty.
Local women with sticks and brooms in their hands took out processions in different areas of Sandeshkhali as the protests intensified on the second day on Friday.
Sandeshkhali, a village in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, has been at the centre of a political storm for nearly a month and has witnessed unprecedented protests over allegations of sexual abuse by scores of women against a local Trinamool Congress leader.
Patra, who is yet to join the BJP officially, was fielded from Basirhat Lok Sabha seat.
Although Roy has remained tightlipped about the agenda of his visit, the political circles in West Bengal were abuzz with speculations over his next political move.
'I do not think the scam is limited to 1,563 students. The number is too low to have caused such an inflation in the marks'
Chowdhury termed Banerjee as an "opportunist politician" who altered her stance after realising the changing political landscape.
A delegation of the NCSC had visited Sandeshkhali on Thursday after a large number of women claimed that TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters captured swathes of land by force and also sexually harassed them.
Citing Section 144 CrPC was in force in parts of Sandeshkhali and it would not be prudent to allow them access to the area even in groups of four-five, senior police officers stopped their convoy at the Bhojerhat area, which is around 52 km from the riverine area, on Basanti Highway.
"Not a single woman (from Sandeshkhali) has lodged any FIR. It was me who directed the police to lodge a suo motu case. Our block president has been arrested," she said.
'The man was carrying arms, one khukri, ganja and several identity cards of different agencies like BSF and others. He wanted to meet the CM. This is a serious issue. We are trying to find out what was his actual purpose'
Senior leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress were stopped by police on Friday from visiting the trouble-torn Sandeshkhali, escalating the political tensions in the state as the leaders accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of fostering a 'lawless situation' and attempting to 'communalise' the issue.
The meteoric rise of Shajahan Sheikh from a modest background of a helper in a local transport company to becoming the so-called 'tiger' of Sandeshkhali is what Bollywood film scripts are made of. And so does his fall.
The Bharatiya Janata Party dubbed the arrest as scripted and claimed he was in the safe custody of West Bengal Police.
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