Former West Bengal food minister Rathin Ghosh appeared before the ED in connection with the alleged civic recruitment scam case after skipping summons on five earlier occasions.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed poll rallies in West Bengal, promising jobs for youths and an 'infiltrator-free' state if the BJP wins the assembly elections. He also pledged to restore industrial glory, end syndicate raj, and ensure women's safety.
West Bengal's annual July 21 Martyrs' Day observance has transformed into an unprecedented political contest, with three rival camps - Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress, a breakaway TMC faction, and the Congress - holding parallel programmes in central Kolkata, each vying for legacy and organisational strength.
The high-pitched campaign for the first phase of West Bengal assembly elections concluded with the BJP and TMC focusing on electoral rolls and dietary habits, while making promises to voters. Voting is scheduled in 152 constituencies across north Bengal and southern districts, with over 3.60 crore electors eligible to vote. A record number of Central paramilitary forces have been deployed, and several districts have been identified as highly sensitive.
One person died, and more than 20 others were injured after a major fire broke out in a naphtha-carrying pipeline of Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd (HPL) in West Bengal's Purba Medinipur district in the early hours of Tuesday, the police said.
The TMC has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, alleging that he made polarising and criminally intimidating statements during election campaigning in West Bengal.
Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin is set to return to Kolkata next month for an anti-fundamentalism literary event, nearly two decades after she was forced to leave the city amid violent protests over her writings. The BJP government in West Bengal is projecting this as a reversal of past capitulation to religious fundamentalism.
The West Bengal government has suspended two senior officials at Presidency Correctional Home following allegations that inmates were using mobile phones within the facility. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari stated that a network of organised crime was being operated from within the state's prisons.
In West Bengal's assembly elections, fish has become a potent symbol of Bengali identity, with the Trinamool Congress and BJP clashing over food habits and cultural representation.
The Supreme Court has directed an appellate tribunal to expeditiously decide an appeal filed by a 75-year-old advocate challenging the deletion of his name from the West Bengal voters' list following a Special Intensive Revision exercise. The court noted the petitioner appeared to be a bona fide resident and requested a decision within two months.
Appellate tribunals in West Bengal have only disposed of a small fraction of the appeals filed against decisions made during the electoral roll revision, raising concerns about the efficiency of the process.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah promised one lakh jobs for youths each year based on merit if the BJP won the West Bengal election, and also pledged to make the state free of infiltrators.
Suvendu Adhikari has been elected as the leader of the BJP legislature party in West Bengal, paving the way for him to become the state's first BJP chief minister.
The Calcutta High Court has ordered a status quo on the demolition of TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee's constituency office in South 24 Parganas. The court's directive prevents further demolition until a new hearing or the end of July, following a petition by Leaps and Bounds Private Limited, a company Banerjee is CEO of. The district administration had initiated demolition citing alleged construction without an approved plan.
The first phase of the West Bengal assembly elections saw a record voter turnout of 91.78 per cent, the highest since Independence, according to the Chief Election Commissioner. Polling took place in 16 districts with women voters outnumbering men. The Election Commission attributed the high turnout to voter-friendly measures.
West Bengal Food and Supplies Minister Ashok Kirtania has warned of strict action against corruption in the department, echoing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's slogan 'Na khaunga, na khane dunga'. He promised to act against those involved in irregularities during the previous regime, particularly concerning the public distribution system and ration distribution.
'In West Bengal, the BJP's ideology of Hindutva will be customised to cater to the culture and the cultural imperatives of Bengalis.'
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has reconstructed the crime scene of a rape and murder case in Baruipur, West Bengal, with the three arrested accused. Forensic experts collected new samples, and the reconstruction aimed to verify statements and corroborate evidence. This follows a previous incident where another accused was killed during a similar reconstruction. The Chief Minister has assured personal monitoring of the investigation, and four separate cases have been registered related to the incident and subsequent events.
A Delhi court has granted bail to I-PAC co-founder and director Vinesh Chandel in a money laundering case linked to an alleged coal scam in West Bengal, as the Enforcement Directorate did not oppose the bail plea.
Sporadic incidents of violence were reported in Howrah and Haroa areas of West Bengal in the run-up to the second phase of polling. Clashes broke out between Trinamool Congress and BJP supporters in Howrah, while a police sub-inspector was injured in Haroa during a clash between TMC and ISF supporters.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has registered a case to probe the recovery of 79 crude bombs in West Bengal following a directive from the Union Home Ministry.
NIA begins probe into Bhangar crude bomb case after 79 explosives recovered in West Bengal, raising serious security concerns ahead of elections.
Clashes erupted between locals and security personnel in West Bengal's Birbhum district after allegations of EVM malfunctioning triggered tension during the first phase of the state assembly elections.
West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu has accused the BJP of planning detention camps for Bengali-speaking citizens in the state if they come to power, alleging a conspiracy to deport those whose names are missing from the electoral roll.
The Election Commission reports that poll-related seizures, including cash, drugs, and liquor intended to sway voters, have surpassed Rs 1000 crore in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.
What makes the tiger the undisputed king of the jungle?
A man has been arrested in Kolkata for allegedly sending an email threatening a suicide bomb attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused central forces of working in favour of the BJP during the ongoing assembly elections, alleging intimidation and unfair practices.
Special police observer Ajay Pal Sharma toured West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district during the second phase of Assembly elections, facing political controversy and allegations of intimidation from TMC leaders.
A 15-year-old girl from West Bengal, allegedly abducted and trafficked to Greater Noida, was rescued in a joint operation. The accused has been arrested.
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee has described Narendra Modi as the 'biggest brand ambassador' of the incumbent government in West Bengal, citing the prime minister's recent visit to Jhargram as proof of the TMC's success in restoring peace to the region.
The BJP is showing strong leads in West Bengal and Assam, while actor Vijay's party is making a significant debut in Tamil Nadu. The Congress is ahead in Kerala, offering some consolation amid the changing political landscape in the state elections.
Five people, including two school students, have died after a local train struck a pool car at an open level crossing in West Bengal's Murshidabad district. The gateman has been arrested, and a railway permanent way inspector suspended for alleged dereliction of duty.
The Election Commission has ordered repolling in 15 polling stations across two Assembly constituencies in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district following reports of electoral malpractices.
The Trinamool Congress has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to experience West Bengal's 'Maa Canteen' during his visit for election campaigning, offering a meal for Rs 5. The TMC also criticised Modi's remarks on infiltration, linking it to the Home Minister's responsibilities.
The West Bengal Congress on Tuesday held its Martyrs' Day programme in Kolkata after several years, commemorating the youth wing workers killed in the 1993 police firing, and said the attendance at the gathering marked the party's revival in the state.
A report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) reveals a significant increase in West Bengal MLAs with declared criminal cases, rising from 49% in 2021 to 65% in the latest assembly. The report also highlights a rise in the number of 'crorepati' MLAs.
The move has sparked a political row, with the opposition accusing the BJP of promoting a vegetarian agenda.
West Bengal police have seized a staggering Rs 28.5 crore in cash and 15 kg of gold from the residence of absconding stone trader Tullu Mondal's manager and brother-in-law, Minar Mondal, in Birbhum district, leading to his arrest.
The Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), previously obscure, has gained national attention after 20 rebel TMC MPs merged with it. The Tripura-based party now claims to be the largest parliamentary bloc from West Bengal, holding 20 Lok Sabha seats. Its registered address in Howrah is linked to a couple running an NGO, and a founder member has expressed support for PM Modi and a desire to join the NDA.
