Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari alleges ₹325 crore BGBS corruption under Mamata govt
Synopsis
West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari crossed a significant line on Tuesday — moving from ordering a probe to directly naming Mamata Banerjee on the assembly floor, brandishing a file he claims carries her signature on an allegedly illegal ₹324.73 crore BGBS payment. With a separate ₹635 crore event-firm inquiry already in motion, the BGBS has become the new government's sharpest accountability weapon against the TMC.
Key Takeaways
West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari alleged on 23 June that the previous TMC government illegally paid ₹324.73 crore to a national industry association for the Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS) .
Adhikari claimed a file shown in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly bore Mamata Banerjee's signature authorising the disputed payment.
On 13 June , Adhikari had separately ordered a probe into ₹635 crore paid to an event management company for BGBS — at that stage without directly naming Banerjee.
Tuesday's statement marked a clear escalation: direct personal accusation against the former chief minister on the floor of the legislature.
Budget discussions on the 2026-27 financial year proposals, tabled by Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta , continue until 25 June .
All allegations remain unproven; no chargesheet or formal legal proceeding has been reported as of this date.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday, 23 June levelled serious corruption allegations against the previous All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) government led by Mamata Banerjee, claiming it made an illegal payment of ₹324.73 crore to a national industry association for organising the Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS). Adhikari made the accusations on the floor of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly during budget discussions, dramatically producing a file he claimed bore Banerjee's signature authorising the disputed payment.
What Adhikari Alleged in the Assembly
Speaking during the debate on budget proposals tabled by state Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta on Monday, 22 June, Adhikari held up a file before opposition MLAs, asserting it contained documentary evidence of the alleged irregularity. “The payment made on this count was totally illegal and was a clear case of corruption. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Every single corruption in the previous government will be probed,” Adhikari said.
The budget discussions, covering the 2026-27 financial year, are scheduled to continue until 25 June. Adhikari's intervention marked one of the sharpest direct attacks on Banerjee personally since his government assumed office.
Earlier Probe Order: ₹635 Crore to Event Firm
Tuesday's assembly statement was not Adhikari's first move against the BGBS expenditure. On 13 June, he had told reporters that he had ordered an inquiry into payments of ₹635 crore made by the Banerjee-led government to an advertising-cum-event management company for organising the summit. At that point, he stopped short of directly naming Banerjee as personally responsible.
“Mamata Banerjee's government paid ₹635 crore to a particular event management company for organising BGBS. The matter will be looked into. There will be an investigation to find out under which heads ₹635 crore were spent,” Adhikari had said on that occasion.
The shift in tone between 13 June and Tuesday is notable: what began as an administrative probe order has now become a direct, named accusation against the former chief minister on the floor of the legislature.
The Bengal Global Business Summit at the Centre of the Row
The BGBS was the flagship investment-attraction event of the Banerjee administration, held annually in Kolkata and billed as a platform for drawing domestic and foreign capital into West Bengal. Critics had long questioned the cost of organising the summit relative to actual investment materialisation on the ground. Adhikari's allegations, if substantiated, would represent one of the most significant financial misconduct charges linked to the event.
This comes amid a broader pattern of the new state government ordering reviews of expenditure and contracts entered into under the previous TMC dispensation — a post-transition accountability exercise that has intensified in recent weeks.
What Happens Next
Adhikari has indicated that a formal investigation into BGBS-related payments is underway. The probe's scope — whether it will involve the state's anti-corruption bureau, the Enforcement Directorate, or another agency — has not yet been officially specified. The TMC and Banerjee's office have not, according to available reports, issued a formal response to Tuesday's assembly allegations. All claims remain allegations at this stage; no chargesheet or court proceeding has been reported.
Point of View
Not merely an administrative accountability exercise. The gap between the two figures he has cited, ₹324.73 crore to an industry association and ₹635 crore to an event firm, suggests either overlapping probes or a broader financial audit still being pieced together, and that lack of clarity weakens the evidentiary case even as the political charge lands hard. The BGBS was the TMC's most visible economic branding exercise; attacking it strikes at the previous government's core legacy claim. Whether this translates into prosecutable findings or remains assembly-floor theatre will depend entirely on whether an independent investigative agency, rather than a politically directed one, is put in charge of the probe.
NationPress
23 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the BGBS corruption allegations made by Suvendu Adhikari?
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has alleged that the previous Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government made an illegal payment of ₹324.73 crore to a national industry association for organising the Bengal Global Business Summit. He made the claim in the state assembly on 23 June, producing a file he said carried Banerjee's signature.
What is the Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS)?
The Bengal Global Business Summit was the flagship annual investment event of the Mamata Banerjee government, held in Kolkata to attract domestic and foreign investment to West Bengal. It is now at the centre of financial irregularity allegations by the new state government.
Has Adhikari raised BGBS-related concerns before Tuesday's assembly statement?
Yes. On 13 June, Adhikari had ordered a probe into ₹635 crore allegedly paid to an event management company for organising BGBS. At that time he did not directly accuse Banerjee personally — Tuesday's assembly speech marked a significant escalation in his public position.
What investigation is underway into the BGBS payments?
Adhikari has indicated a formal probe is in progress, but the specific agency — whether the state anti-corruption bureau, the Enforcement Directorate, or another body — has not been officially confirmed. No chargesheet has been filed as of the latest available reports.
How has the TMC responded to the allegations?
According to available reports, the Trinamool Congress and Mamata Banerjee's office had not issued a formal response to Tuesday's assembly allegations at the time of publication. All charges remain allegations and have not been tested in any court.
