Aditi Munshi, husband seek anticipatory bail at Calcutta HC over disproportionate assets fear
Synopsis
Former TMC MLA Aditi Munshi and her husband Debraj Chakraborty have rushed to the Calcutta High Court for anticipatory bail, fearing arrest on disproportionate assets charges — the latest fallout from a sweeping post-election crackdown on Trinamool leaders in West Bengal after the party lost power.
Key Takeaways
Aditi Munshi , former TMC MLA from Rajarhat-Gopalpur , and husband Debraj Chakraborty filed for anticipatory bail at Calcutta High Court on 21 May .
The couple fears arrest on charges of disproportionate assets amid a post-election crackdown on Trinamool leaders.
Justice Joy Sengupta allowed the case to be filed; hearing expected on Friday .
Debraj was recently detained for questioning in a 2021 post-poll violence case.
Police arrested Amit Chakraborty , described as Debraj's 'right-hand man', on Tuesday over an alleged attempt to block the BJP's victory procession on 4 May .
Aditi lost the Rajarhat-Gopalpur seat in the 2025 elections to BJP's Tarunjyoti Tiwari .
Former All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Aditi Munshi and her husband Debraj Chakraborty on Thursday, 21 May approached the Calcutta High Court seeking anticipatory bail, fearing imminent arrest on charges of disproportionate assets. The couple's counsel drew the court's attention to the matter, and Justice Joy Sengupta allowed the filing of the case, with a hearing likely to be scheduled for Friday.
Background of the Couple
Aditi Munshi, a former MLA from Rajarhat-Gopalpur, rose to political prominence after Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee picked her — a popular devotional singer — as the party's candidate for that constituency in the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections, replacing incumbent Purnendu Basu. Aditi defeated Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Samik Bhattacharya — now the state BJP president — by approximately 25,000 votes. Her husband Debraj Chakraborty, a Trinamool councillor in the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, was widely regarded as a key force behind her campaign.
Trinamool fielded Aditi again in the 2025 West Bengal Assembly elections, but she lost the seat to BJP's Tarunjyoti Tiwari, ending her term as MLA.
Debraj's Detention and Related Arrests
Debraj Chakraborty was recently detained by police for questioning in connection with a 2021 post-poll violence case. Separately, on Tuesday, police arrested Amit Chakraborty, described by police sources as the 'right-hand man' of Debraj. According to police, the allegation against Amit relates to an alleged attempt to obstruct the BJP's victory procession on 4 May, the day Assembly election results were counted.
In the same incident, police had earlier arrested Samaresh Chakraborty and Hemant Chowdhury, both councillors of the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation.
Wider Crackdown on Trinamool Leaders
The anticipatory bail plea comes amid a broader wave of arrests of Trinamool Congress leaders on corruption charges following the recent change of government in West Bengal. Aditi and Debraj reportedly fear that the disproportionate assets charge could be used to detain them as part of this ongoing crackdown. This is the context in which their counsel made the urgent application before the High Court.
What Happens Next
The Calcutta High Court is expected to take up the anticipatory bail matter on Friday. The outcome will be closely watched as it could set a precedent for other Trinamool leaders facing similar legal exposure in the changed political climate of West Bengal.
Point of View
Her husband who is a municipal councillor, and their close associates all drawn into intersecting cases of post-poll violence and asset accumulation. The disproportionate assets angle, if pursued vigorously, could prove more politically damaging than the violence charges, since it goes to the heart of how local power was monetised during the Trinamool era. Courts will be the real arbiter of how far this crackdown reaches.
NationPress
14 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Aditi Munshi approach the Calcutta High Court?
Aditi Munshi and her husband Debraj Chakraborty sought anticipatory bail at the Calcutta High Court on 21 May, fearing they could be arrested on charges of disproportionate assets. Justice Joy Sengupta allowed the case to be filed, with a hearing expected on Friday.
Who is Debraj Chakraborty?
Debraj Chakraborty is Aditi Munshi's husband and a Trinamool Congress councillor in the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation. He was recently detained by police for questioning in a 2021 post-poll violence case.
Why are Trinamool leaders being arrested in West Bengal?
Following a change of government in West Bengal, several Trinamool Congress leaders have been arrested on corruption and post-poll violence charges. The crackdown has created apprehension among former office-bearers, including Aditi Munshi and Debraj Chakraborty.
What happened to Aditi Munshi in the 2025 Assembly elections?
Trinamool Congress fielded Aditi Munshi again from Rajarhat-Gopalpur in the 2025 West Bengal Assembly elections, but she lost the seat to BJP candidate Tarunjyoti Tiwari, ending her tenure as MLA.
Who is Amit Chakraborty and why was he arrested?
Amit Chakraborty is described by police sources as the 'right-hand man' of Debraj Chakraborty. He was arrested on Tuesday on allegations of attempting to obstruct the BJP's victory procession on 4 May, the day Assembly election results were counted.
