Calcutta HC takes suo motu cognisance of egg attack on CPM leader at Baruipur court
Synopsis
The Calcutta High Court took suo motu cognisance of an egg attack on CPI(M) leader Sayan Banerjee inside the Baruipur District Court — a rare judicial self-activation that signals the court views attacks on lawyers within court premises as a systemic threat, not a routine law-and-order matter. Reports are due from police and the district judge by early October.
Key Takeaways
The Calcutta High Court initiated suo motu proceedings on 25 September 2026 over an egg attack on CPI(M) leader Sayan Banerjee at the Baruipur District Court .
A Division Bench of Chief Justice Ravindra Vithalrao Ghuge and Justice Om Narayan Rai directed the Registrar General to formally register the case.
Advocate Saikat Banerjee was appointed amicus curiae ; reports sought from Baruipur SP and the district judge.
Sayan Banerjee alleged ABVP activists attacked him after he secured bail for SFI members arrested following clashes at Bhangar College .
Banerjee further alleged a second egg-pelting outside the CPI(M)'s Padmapukur party office .
The next hearing is scheduled for the first week of October 2026 .
The Calcutta High Court on Friday, 25 September 2026, initiated suo motu proceedings over an egg attack on Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sayan Banerjee inside the Baruipur District Court premises in South 24 Parganas, West Bengal. The court's intervention signals alarm over the security of legal professionals within judicial complexes.
Court's Immediate Directions
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Ravindra Vithalrao Ghuge and Justice Om Narayan Rai heard the matter on Friday afternoon and directed the Registrar General to formally register the case without delay. Advocate Saikat Banerjee was appointed amicus curiae to assist the court as an independent adviser.
The bench also directed Sayan Banerjee's counsel, Sabyasachi Banerjee, to file a detailed affidavit. Reports have been sought from the Superintendent of Police, Baruipur Police District, and the concerned district judge. The next hearing is scheduled for the first week of October.
What Chief Justice Ghuge Said
The Division Bench strongly condemned the incident. Chief Justice Ghuge observed that if a lawyer could be attacked inside a court complex, others would remain equally vulnerable to similar assaults in the future. He described such incidents as unacceptable and stressed that recurrence must be stopped at all costs — remarks that underscore the court's intent to treat this as a systemic concern, not merely an isolated episode.
What Led to the Attack
Earlier in the week, Sayan Banerjee had appeared at Baruipur Court to represent activists of the Students Federation of India (SFI) — the student wing of the CPI(M) — who were arrested after clashes with Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists at Bhangar College in South 24 Parganas. After the district court granted bail to the SFI activists, Banerjee alleged that ABVP members present on the premises began shouting slogans against him before eggs were hurled at him. He further alleged that his assistants were also attacked during the incident.
Banerjee subsequently alleged a second round of egg-pelting took place outside the CPI(M)'s Padmapukur party office, suggesting a coordinated effort to intimidate him beyond the court precincts. The allegations against ABVP activists have not been independently verified, and the matter remains under judicial scrutiny.
Broader Implications for Judicial Security
The incident has triggered widespread concern among the legal fraternity in West Bengal over the safety of advocates and litigants within court premises. This comes amid a broader pattern of political clashes between Left-affiliated and BJP-affiliated student organisations in the state, particularly around college campuses and district courts. Notably, attacks on lawyers inside court complexes are rare and are treated with heightened institutional seriousness, given that courts are constitutionally protected spaces.
The High Court's decision to act suo motu — without waiting for a formal petition — reflects the urgency with which the judiciary is treating the matter. All parties are expected to submit their responses before the October hearing, after which the court may consider further directions.
Point of View
And the court will not treat that as normal. The egg attack on a sitting advocate inside a district court complex — allegedly by student activists from a rival political organisation — is symptomatic of the normalisation of political violence in the state. What mainstream coverage misses is the chilling effect such incidents have on the willingness of lawyers to take up politically sensitive briefs. If the High Court's October hearing produces only a rap on the knuckles without structural accountability, the signal sent will do little to deter the next such incident.
NationPress
25 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Calcutta High Court's suo motu case about?
The Calcutta High Court initiated suo motu proceedings on 25 September 2026 over an alleged egg attack on CPI(M) leader and advocate Sayan Banerjee inside the Baruipur District Court premises in South 24 Parganas. The court acted on its own without waiting for a formal petition, directing reports from the district police and judiciary.
Who allegedly attacked Sayan Banerjee at Baruipur court?
Sayan Banerjee alleged that ABVP activists present at the Baruipur District Court premises pelted him with eggs after he successfully argued for bail for arrested SFI members. He also alleged a second round of egg-pelting outside the CPI(M)'s Padmapukur party office. The allegations remain under judicial scrutiny and have not been independently verified.
What directions has the Calcutta High Court issued?
The Division Bench directed the Registrar General to formally register the case, appointed advocate Saikat Banerjee as amicus curiae, and sought reports from the Superintendent of Police of Baruipur Police District and the concerned district judge. Sayan Banerjee's counsel has also been directed to file a detailed affidavit.
When will the Calcutta High Court hear the case next?
The matter is scheduled to be heard again in the first week of October 2026, when the court will examine the police and judicial reports as well as the affidavit before deciding on further directions.
Why did Sayan Banerjee go to Baruipur court in the first place?
Sayan Banerjee appeared at Baruipur Court to represent SFI activists — the student wing of CPI(M) — who had been arrested following clashes with ABVP members at Bhangar College in South 24 Parganas. The district court granted bail to the arrested SFI activists before the alleged attack took place.
