Former Communist Party of India (Marxist) legislator Srutinath Praharaj, representing the Uttarpara assembly constituency in Hooghly district of West Bengal, was granted bail by a district court in Chinsurah on Tuesday, 25 August, hours after being produced before the bench. Praharaj had been arrested from his residence the previous night, along with two other CPI(M) activists, in connection with a 'mass disobedience movement' held at Chinsurah on 10 August.

The Arrests and Charges

Police arrested Praharaj and CPI(M) workers Dipak Chakraborty and Anupam Chakraborty on the night of 24 August. The charges against the three include obstructing police personnel from performing their duties, creating a public disturbance, and assaulting police personnel — all stemming from the 10 August protest at Chinsurah. The three were produced before the district court in Chinsurah on Tuesday afternoon, where their counsel moved a bail application that the presiding judge accepted.

What Happened on 10 August

The sequence of events began when activists of CITU — the trade union wing of CPI(M) — broke through police barricades and began marching toward the District Magistrate's office in Chinsurah. Police intercepted them at the clock tower crossing, but the protesters reportedly attempted to push past the barricade. Officers responded with a baton charge to disperse the crowd.

Several CPI(M) activists sustained injuries during the police action; two police personnel were also reportedly injured. More than 40 CPI(M) activists were detained that day. Of those, four were formally arrested later that night, while the rest were released. The court granted the four arrested on 10 August bail the following day.

CPI(M) Alleges Political Vendetta

CPI(M)'s Hooghly district secretary Debabrata Ghosh alleged that the arrest of Praharaj amounted to political vendetta. 'If the police think that they will be able to scare us by arresting us in the dark of night on false accusations, they are mistaken,' Ghosh said, speaking to reporters after the bail was granted.

This is the second wave of arrests linked to the 10 August protest, with the former legislator's detention coming more than two weeks after the original incident — a gap that the party says reinforces its claim of targeted political action.

Broader Context

The episode is the latest flashpoint in the ongoing friction between CPI(M) and the state administration in West Bengal, where the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) has held power since 2011. Left-affiliated protests and the subsequent police response have been a recurring pattern, with opposition parties frequently alleging suppression of dissent. The granting of bail in both waves of arrests suggests the courts did not find grounds for continued custody at this stage.

As the case moves forward, the charges against Praharaj and the two CPI(M) workers remain active, and the political fallout is likely to keep tensions elevated in Hooghly district.