Kolkata Police complaint against Parambrata, Swastika over 2021 post-poll violence remarks
Synopsis
Just hours after a video of Parambrata Chatterjee speaking at a BJP-linked meeting went viral, a lawyer filed a complaint against him and Swastika Mukherjee at Kolkata's Gariahat police station — alleging their 2021 social media comments incited post-poll violence against BJP workers. The timing links a five-year-old controversy directly to a fresh political flashpoint.
Key Takeaways
Lawyer Joydeep Sen filed a complaint against actors Parambrata Chatterjee and Swastika Mukherjee at Gariahat police station on 21 May .
The complaint invokes Section 107 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita , alleging the actors' 2 May 2021 social media posts incited post-poll violence.
The complainant alleges the posts contributed to violence against BJP workers, including alleged murder, rape, and arson.
Parambrata Chatterjee had attended a meeting at Technicians Studio the previous day, where he spoke about alleged pressure from former minister Aroop Biswas to support the TMC government.
A video of Parambrata's remarks went viral shortly before the complaint was filed; neither actor had responded publicly at the time of reporting.
A formal complaint has been filed with Kolkata Police against Bengali actors Parambrata Chatterjee and Swastika Mukherjee, accusing them of inciting the 2021 West Bengal post-poll violence through social media comments made immediately after the state Assembly election results. The complaint was lodged at Gariahat police station on Thursday, 21 May by lawyer Joydeep Sen. Neither actor had responded to the allegations at the time of reporting.
Background: The 2021 Comments
The controversy traces back to 2 May 2021, the day the West Bengal Assembly election results were declared. According to the complainant, Parambrata Chatterjee allegedly made a controversial remark on social media that day, and Swastika Mukherjee reportedly endorsed it with a counter-comment. Lawyer Joydeep Sen contends that these posts inflamed tensions across the state at a particularly volatile moment.
What the Complaint Alleges
The complaint invokes Section 107 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Sen alleged that the actors' remarks — given their social influence — directly incited violence against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers and women workers, including alleged incidents of murder, rape, molestation, and arson. 'Their comments incited the murder of BJP workers, rape and molestation of BJP women workers, and the violence committed by the Trinamool Congress in 2021,' Sen said, according to reports. He further alleged that many people were influenced by the duo's posts owing to their public standing.
The Meeting That Preceded the Complaint
The complaint came a day after BJP MLA and Bengali actor Rudranil Ghosh convened a meeting at Technicians Studio on Wednesday, where Parambrata Chatterjee was also present. At the gathering, Parambrata spoke about alleged pressure he had faced from former state minister Aroop Biswas and his brother Swarup Biswas to support the previous All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) government. He said: 'That day, I did everything by looking at the face of my new-born child and gritting my teeth. There was no other way. I did not come here to take personal revenge against anyone. But since I consider you a family member, I shared the personal insult. May such a situation not arise in the future.'
Viral Video and Public Reaction
A video clip of Parambrata's remarks at the meeting spread rapidly on social media, drawing sharp criticism from many quarters who accused the actor of switching political allegiances. Shortly after the video went viral, the complaint against him — and Swastika Mukherjee — was filed at Gariahat police station. The timing has added a layer of political significance to what is nominally a legal proceeding.
What Happens Next
Kolkata Police are yet to publicly confirm what action, if any, will follow the complaint. The case under Section 107 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relates to abetment, and any formal investigation would require police to assess whether the social media posts meet the legal threshold for incitement. The development comes amid renewed political scrutiny of the 2021 post-poll violence, which remains a contested issue between the BJP and the ruling TMC in West Bengal.
Point of View
Suggesting the legal action may be as much political as it is procedural. The underlying allegation — that a social media post constitutes abetment of violence — sets a broad and contested precedent for celebrity speech during election season. Notably, the 2021 post-poll violence has been selectively litigated for years, with both the BJP and TMC deploying it as a political instrument. What mainstream coverage underplays is that the complaint rests almost entirely on the complainant's inference of causation between a post and subsequent violence — a threshold that courts have historically scrutinised closely.
NationPress
6 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the complaint filed against Parambrata Chatterjee and Swastika Mukherjee?
A complaint was filed at Gariahat police station in Kolkata on 21 May by lawyer Joydeep Sen, alleging that the two actors incited the 2021 West Bengal post-poll violence through social media comments made on 2 May 2021. The complaint invokes Section 107 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which pertains to abetment.
What did Parambrata Chatterjee and Swastika Mukherjee allegedly post in 2021?
According to the complainant, Parambrata Chatterjee made a controversial social media comment on 2 May 2021 — the day the West Bengal Assembly election results were declared — and Swastika Mukherjee reportedly endorsed it with a counter-comment. The specific content of the posts has not been reproduced in the complaint as reported.
What is Section 107 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita?
Section 107 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relates to abetment — broadly, the act of instigating, conspiring in, or intentionally aiding the commission of an offence. The complainant argues the actors' posts meet this threshold by allegedly influencing others to commit violence against BJP workers.
Why did Parambrata Chatterjee attend the Technicians Studio meeting?
Parambrata Chatterjee attended a meeting convened by BJP MLA and actor Rudranil Ghosh at Technicians Studio on Wednesday. At the meeting, he reportedly spoke about alleged pressure he faced from former TMC minister Aroop Biswas and his brother Swarup Biswas to publicly support the previous TMC government.
Have the actors responded to the complaint?
As of the time of reporting on 21 May, neither Parambrata Chatterjee nor Swastika Mukherjee had publicly responded to the complaint filed against them at Gariahat police station.
