The complaint cited a May 2, 2021 social media exchange between actors Parambrata Chatterjee and Swastika Mukherjee, alleging their remarks encouraged violence at a time when attacks on BJP workers were being reported across Bengal following the Assembly election results.
A five-year-old tweet linked to West Bengal’s post-poll violence has landed prominent Bengali actors Parambrata Chatterjee and Swastika Mukherjee in soup, with a police complaint lodged against them at Kolkata’s Gariahat Police Station.
The complainant, identified as Joydeep Sen, has sought the registration of an FIR against the duo, accusing them of abetting and instigating the large-scale post-poll violence that erupted in West Bengal in May 20.
According to the complaint dated May 21, the matter pertains to a social media post made on May 2, 2021 — the day the results of the Bengal Assembly election were announced.
The complaint highlights a tweet posted by Parambrata Chatterjee at approximately 4 pm that day, which read in Bengali: “Let today be declared World ‘Rogorani’ thrashing Day!”). Actress Swastika Mukherjee allegedly replied to the tweet with an emoji, stating, “Hahahah Hok Hok” (“Let it happen”).
The complainant argued that the statements, made by influential public figures, appeared on the face of it to “abet, encourage, incite and instigate large-scale violence” at a highly sensitive time when reports of attacks on BJP workers were already surfacing.
“A complaint has already been filed against Parambrata Chatterjee and Swastika Mukherjee under Section 107 of the Indian Penal Code. Their remarks had instigated the murders of BJP workers, the rape and molestation of BJP women workers, and the violence allegedly carried out by the Trinamool Congress in 2021,” the complainant said.
The complaint also links the timing of the social media interactions to subsequent real-world violence. It notes that around an hour after the tweet, BJP worker Abhijit Sarkar of Beliaghata was allegedly murdered in a case in which the accused have already been sentenced.
Furthermore, the complaint alleges that from the late afternoon of May 2, 2021 onwards, organised large-scale violence against BJP workers spread across West Bengal, resulting in murders, assaults, sexual violence, arson and extortion — incidents of which the Calcutta High Court later took cognisance.
The violence that followed the 2021 Assembly election in the state sparked a major political controversy and led to several investigations. These followed allegations of attacks, intimidation and the displacement of people in several districts after the election results were declared.
The election was held in eight phases between March 27 and April 29, and recorded an average turnout of 82 per cent, according to Election Commission data. Violence intensified during the polling period and continued after the results were announced on May 2.
“A complaint has already been filed against Parambrata Chatterjee and Swastika Mukherjee under Section 107 of the Indian Penal Code. Their remarks had instigated the murders of BJP workers, the rape and molestation of BJP women workers, and the violence allegedly carried out by the Trinamool Congress in 2021,” the complainant said.
The complaint also links the timing of the social media interactions to subsequent real-world violence. It notes that around an hour after the tweet, BJP worker Abhijit Sarkar of Beliaghata was allegedly murdered in a case in which the accused have already been sentenced.
Furthermore, the complaint alleges that from the late afternoon of May 2, 2021 onwards, organised large-scale violence against BJP workers spread across West Bengal, resulting in murders, assaults, sexual violence, arson and extortion — incidents of which the Calcutta High Court later took cognisance.
The violence that followed the 2021 Assembly election in the state sparked a major political controversy and led to several investigations. These followed allegations of attacks, intimidation and the displacement of people in several districts after the election results were declared.
The election was held in eight phases between March 27 and April 29, and recorded an average turnout of 82 per cent, according to Election Commission data. Violence intensified during the polling period and continued after the results were announced on May 2.
