West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday, 16 May announced the dismantling of the West Bengal Police Welfare Board, a body that was reportedly operated during the previous All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) regime by former Kolkata Police Deputy Commissioner Santanu Sinha Biswas. Biswas is currently in Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody over his alleged involvement in money laundering and illegal land-grabbing syndicate cases. An official notification formalising the dissolution is expected on 18 May.

What the Chief Minister Said

Adhikari made the announcement on the sidelines of an administrative review meeting at Diamond Harbour in South 24 Parganas district. “Today I announce the decision to dismantle the West Bengal Police Welfare Board. An official notification in the matter will be issued on Monday,” he told reporters.

The Chief Minister acknowledged that the board was originally constituted with constructive intent but alleged it had since been reduced to a political instrument. “Initially, the board was formed with some good intention. But later that board turned into just a branch organisation of a particular political party,” Adhikari said. He added that the board “became a tool of convenience for police officers like Santanu Sinha Biswas.”

The Santanu Sinha Biswas Connection

Santanu Sinha Biswas, described as a close confidant of former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, served as one of the two coordinators of the welfare board. Following his arrest by ED officials, the new state government had already terminated the two-year service extension that had been granted to him. His continued role in the board, even amid serious criminal allegations, had drawn sharp criticism from the current administration.

New Mechanism for Political Violence Complaints

Adhikari also unveiled a parallel reform: victims of political violence in West Bengal will now be able to file complaints directly with the police and submit supporting documents, with action to follow under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. Notably, the new framework also permits complaints to be filed against police officers themselves in such cases.

“Even if the victims have any specific complaint against any police officer in cases of such political violence, they will also be able to register complaints against the cops concerned. The police will now act neutrally and also accept complaints against their fellow cops,” the Chief Minister said. He concluded with a pointed declaration: “Henceforth in West Bengal, there will be rule of law and not the law of the ruler.”

Broader Context

The announcement signals an early and assertive break from the administrative structures associated with the previous TMC government. This comes amid an ongoing crackdown by central agencies on alleged financial irregularities linked to figures from that era. The dismantling of the welfare board is the latest in a series of institutional changes initiated by the new administration, and is likely to intensify the political confrontation between the ruling dispensation and the TMC in the state.