CBI arrests proclaimed offender in 2021 Bengal post-poll violence murder case
Synopsis
More than four years after going into hiding, Jharna Mistry — prime accused and proclaimed offender in a 2021 Bengal post-poll violence murder — was arrested by the CBI from South 24 Parganas. Her arrest, made possible after the Calcutta High Court handed over the case to the CBI in August 2021, keeps the spotlight on accountability for one of India's most politically charged episodes of post-election violence.
Key Takeaways
The CBI arrested Jharna Mistry , a proclaimed offender, on 29 September 2026 from Ghoshpara, Santoshpur in South 24 Parganas , West Bengal.
Mistry is the prime accused in the murder of Sova Rani Mondal , allegedly killed during 2021 post-poll violence in West Bengal.
She had been absconding since the FIR was registered in 2021 ; a court at Barrackpore had declared her a proclaimed offender.
The CBI had announced a cash reward of ₹50,000 for her arrest.
A supplementary chargesheet has been filed against 13 accused persons in the case.
The CBI's probe was ordered by the Calcutta High Court on 19 August 2021 .
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, arrested Jharna Mistry, a proclaimed offender, in connection with a murder case linked to the post-poll violence that erupted across West Bengal following the 2021 Assembly election. Mistry was apprehended from the Ghoshpara area of Santoshpur in South 24 Parganas district — more than four years after the FIR was first registered.
Who Was Arrested and Why
Jharna Mistry is the wife of Sanjay Mistry, who is also a co-accused in the same case. According to a press statement issued by the CBI, she had been 'at large since registration of the FIR in 2021, and she never joined the investigation/trial in this post-poll violence case.' The agency had announced a cash reward of ₹50,000 for information leading to her arrest.
A district court at Barrackpore had earlier declared her a proclaimed offender, yet she continued to evade law enforcement. She was produced before the Competent Court at Barrackpore on Tuesday following her arrest.
Background of the Case
The CBI registered the FIR with Jagatdal Police Station in North 24 Parganas district, based on a complaint filed by the mother of Sova Rani Mondal, who was allegedly killed by the accused during the post-poll violence. After a detailed investigation, the agency filed a supplementary chargesheet against 13 accused persons, with Jharna Mistry named as the prime accused.
The CBI's involvement stems from a Calcutta High Court order dated 19 August 2021, which directed the federal agency to probe post-poll violence cases in West Bengal, citing the gravity and scale of the alleged atrocities.
The 2021 Post-Poll Violence: What Happened
Following the 2021 West Bengal Assembly election — in which the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) secured power for a third consecutive term with a decisive majority — widespread reports of violence emerged from multiple districts. In several cases, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers were allegedly killed or injured, and many were reportedly forced to flee their homes for extended periods.
Trinamool Congress leaders and activists were accused in a number of these incidents, though the party denied systematic involvement. The violence triggered a political and judicial storm, ultimately leading the Calcutta High Court to transfer investigations to the CBI.
What This Arrest Signals
The arrest of Jharna Mistry — after over four years of evasion — underscores the CBI's continued push to prosecute all named accused in the post-poll violence cases, including those who had successfully avoided trial. With 13 accused named in the chargesheet, investigators are likely to continue tracking others who remain at large.
The case is being closely watched as a test of institutional accountability in politically sensitive violence cases, ahead of future state electoral cycles in West Bengal.
Point of View
Four years after she went into hiding, illustrates both the persistence of CBI pressure and the limits of state-level accountability in politically sensitive violence cases. The Calcutta High Court's 2021 decision to hand these cases to the CBI was itself a rare rebuke of the state machinery. Yet with 13 accused in just this one chargesheet — and many similar cases still active — the pace of prosecution remains slow relative to the scale of the alleged violence. The real question is not whether the CBI can catch proclaimed offenders, but whether convictions will follow before political winds shift in West Bengal again.
NationPress
29 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Jharna Mistry and why was she arrested by the CBI?
Jharna Mistry is the prime accused in a murder case linked to the 2021 West Bengal post-poll violence. She was arrested by the CBI on 29 September 2026 from South 24 Parganas after evading law enforcement for over four years following the registration of the FIR.
What is the 2021 West Bengal post-poll violence case?
After the 2021 Assembly election, in which the Trinamool Congress won a third consecutive term, widespread violence was reported across West Bengal. BJP workers were allegedly killed or displaced, and Trinamool leaders and activists were accused in several incidents. The Calcutta High Court ordered the CBI to investigate these cases in August 2021.
Why was the CBI handling this case and not the West Bengal Police?
The Calcutta High Court directed the CBI to investigate post-poll violence cases on 19 August 2021, citing the seriousness of the allegations and concerns about impartial investigation at the state level.
What happens next in this case?
Jharna Mistry was produced before the Competent Court at Barrackpore on 29 September 2026. The CBI has already filed a supplementary chargesheet against 13 accused; the case will now proceed to trial. Investigators are likely to continue pursuing other accused persons who remain at large.
How many people are accused in this post-poll violence murder case?
The CBI has filed a supplementary chargesheet naming 13 accused persons in the murder case linked to the death of Sova Rani Mondal. Jharna Mistry, now arrested, was identified as the prime accused.
