POCSO Court jails two for life in 2021 Bengal post-poll gang-rape case
Synopsis
A POCSO court in Murshidabad has sentenced two men to life for gang-raping a minor during West Bengal's 2021 post-poll violence — one of the first CBI-prosecuted rape cases from that period to reach a verdict. With nearly 2,000 complaints still in courts, this conviction signals that judicial accountability for the violence is slowly, but concretely, advancing.
Key Takeaways
A POCSO court in Jangipur, Murshidabad sentenced Karim Sk and Sayed Tarjen Hossain to life imprisonment on Wednesday .
The case relates to the gang rape of a minor during West Bengal's 2021 post-poll violence .
The CBI took over the investigation in 2022 on orders of the Calcutta High Court .
The victim is entitled to ₹5,00,000 in compensation from the District Legal Services Authority, Murshidabad , plus proceeds from the sale of the accused's ambulance.
Approximately 1,979 complaints of post-poll violence were filed in the Calcutta High Court; many cases remain pending.
A Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) court in Jangipur, Murshidabad district, West Bengal, on Wednesday sentenced two men to life imprisonment for the gang rape of a minor during the 2021 post-poll violence that followed the state Assembly election results. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which prosecuted the case, confirmed the verdict in an official statement.
The Accused and the Conviction
The two convicted men were identified as Karim Sk and Sayed Tarjen Hossain. The POCSO court convicted them on Tuesday and pronounced the sentence on Wednesday. Beyond the life term, the court also awarded rigorous imprisonment for varying durations on additional charges, all to run concurrently.
The case was registered at Farakka in Murshidabad district in 2021 under Section 376DA (gang rape of a female under 16 years of age) and Section 365 of the then Indian Penal Code (IPC), along with Section 6 (aggravated sexual assault) of the POCSO Act, 2012. The complaint was filed by the victim's father.
CBI's Role and the Calcutta High Court Order
The CBI took over the investigation in 2022 following a directive from the Calcutta High Court, which had ordered that cases of murder and crimes against women — specifically rape or attempt to rape — arising from the post-poll violence be referred to the central agency. The CBI's statement noted that the sale proceeds from the accused's ambulance would be paid to the victim, in addition to a compensation of ₹5,00,000 to be disbursed by the District Legal Services Authority, Murshidabad.
Scale of the 2021 Post-Poll Violence
The violence that erupted across West Bengal after the 2021 Assembly election results were declared was widespread and severe. Allegations of attacks — including murder, rape, and arson — were levelled against workers and supporters of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) in multiple districts, including Kolkata. Approximately 1,979 complaints covering a range of offences were filed before the Calcutta High Court.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), acting on the High Court's orders, prepared an independent report after investigating the violence. The CBI was directed to probe select cases of murder and rape. Notably, a large number of post-poll violence cases remain pending before various courts.
What Happens Next
With this conviction, one of the CBI-investigated post-poll rape cases has reached its conclusion at the trial court level. However, the broader legal reckoning for the 2021 West Bengal post-poll violence is far from over, with hundreds of cases still working their way through the judicial system. Legal observers expect the verdict to carry significance for other pending POCSO and rape cases stemming from the same period.
Point of View
000 complaints filed. That the first significant POCSO conviction comes more than three years after the violence underscores the systemic lag in delivering justice to victims of political crimes. The pending cases will be the real measure of whether this verdict is an outlier or the beginning of a pattern.
NationPress
29 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the POCSO court in Murshidabad rule?
The POCSO court in Jangipur, Murshidabad sentenced Karim Sk and Sayed Tarjen Hossain to life imprisonment for the gang rape of a minor during West Bengal's 2021 post-poll violence. The court also awarded additional rigorous imprisonment terms for other offences, to run concurrently.
Why did the CBI investigate this case?
The Calcutta High Court directed that cases of murder and crimes against women — including rape — arising from the 2021 West Bengal post-poll violence be handed to the CBI. The agency took over this specific case in 2022 after an FIR was originally registered at Farakka, Murshidabad in 2021.
What compensation will the victim receive?
According to the CBI's statement, the victim will receive ₹5,00,000 in compensation from the District Legal Services Authority, Murshidabad, along with the proceeds from the sale of the accused's ambulance.
How widespread was the 2021 West Bengal post-poll violence?
The violence that followed the 2021 West Bengal Assembly election results was extensive, with approximately 1,979 complaints of crimes including murder, rape, and arson filed before the Calcutta High Court. Allegations were made against workers and supporters of the All India Trinamool Congress across multiple districts.
Are other post-poll violence cases still pending?
Yes. A large number of cases from the 2021 West Bengal post-poll violence remain pending before various courts. The NHRC had submitted a report on the violence following a High Court directive, and CBI investigations into select cases of murder and rape are at different stages of the judicial process.
