The Calcutta High Court restrained West Bengal Police from taking coercive action against Paresh Ram Das in six criminal cases, directing investigations to continue lawfully while granting interim protection till June 30, 2026, subject to cooperation with investigators.
The Calcutta High Court restrained the West Bengal Police from taking any coercive action against MLA Paresh Ram Das in connection with six criminal cases registered against him earlier this month. The interim order was passed by Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya while hearing a petition filed by the Trinamool Congress legislator challenging the registration of multiple FIRs against him.
According to the case records, six criminal cases were lodged against Das at Canning Police Station on May 16. The Court clarified that the interim protection granted to the MLA would remain confined only to the six FIRs presently under challenge.
The Court ordered,
“No coercive steps shall be taken against the petitioner without the leave of the court till 30-06-2026. However, investigations shall be carried out in accordance with law, and the petitioner shall cooperate with the investigating agency,”
While granting relief, the Bench also provided liberty to the State authorities to seek modification or vacation of the interim protection if the petitioner fails to cooperate during the course of investigation.
The Court took note of the fact that five out of the six criminal cases related to incidents allegedly dating back to the year 2021. The Bench also expressed prima facie doubts regarding the authenticity and manner in which the sixth complaint appeared to have been filed.
The Bench remarked,
“Prima facie it appears the petitioner’s name at the bottom of the complaint was written in a different manner. Since investigation is at a nascent stage, more than that, court is not making any observation,”
Senior Advocate Kishore Datta, appearing on behalf of Das, argued before the Court that the FIRs were politically motivated and were lodged as part of alleged political vendetta following the recent political developments and regime change in West Bengal.
Datta further submitted that most of the allegations pertained to incidents from 2021 and that the sudden registration of multiple cases in 2026 raised serious questions regarding the timing and intent behind the complaints. Opposing the plea, Additional Advocate General Rajdeep Mazumder contended that the FIRs involved allegations of serious and heinous offences, warranting proper investigation by the police authorities.
Despite the State’s objections, the High Court proceeded to grant interim protection to the MLA while making it clear that the protection was temporary in nature and subject to the petitioner’s cooperation with the investigation process.
The case arises amid heightened political tensions in West Bengal following the recent Assembly election results, with leaders from various political parties alleging misuse of criminal proceedings and retaliatory police action in the aftermath of the polls.
Earlier, two leaders of the All India Trinamool Congress, including a sitting MLA, approached the Calcutta High Court seeking protection from coercive police action in connection with criminal cases registered against them after the declaration of the West Bengal Assembly election results.
Paresh Ram Das was recently re-elected from the Canning Paschim constituency for a second consecutive term. According to election results, he secured victory by a margin exceeding 40,000 votes in the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections.
In a separate but related matter, another petition was moved before the same Bench by Kailash Kumar Mishra. Mishra had contested the Assembly elections from the Bally constituency in Howrah district as a Trinamool Congress candidate but was unsuccessful in the electoral contest.
Through his petition, Mishra also sought protection from coercive action in connection with criminal cases allegedly registered against him following the announcement of the election results on May 4.
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