Calcutta HC seeks Bengal govt report on attacks against advocates
Synopsis
The Calcutta High Court has stepped in after a string of attacks on lawyers across West Bengal, demanding a police action report from the state by Friday. The trigger: an early-morning assault on the Kolkata home of former CPI-M Rajya Sabha member and senior advocate Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya — even drawing a public condemnation from former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who once stood on the opposite side of many legal battles with him.
Key Takeaways
Calcutta High Court Chief Justice Ravindra Vithalrao Ghuge directed the West Bengal government to submit a police action report on attacks against advocates by Friday, 9 October 2026 .
The hearing was prompted by an early-morning attack on the residence of senior advocate Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya at Purbalok, near Jadavpur, South Kolkata .
Attacks on advocates have reportedly occurred at Baruipur Court, Bankshall Court, Chandannagar , and Salboni in recent months.
The court has already directed police to strengthen security arrangements within the Calcutta High Court premises.
Former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee condemned the attacks via a social media statement, calling them 'brutal' and expressing solidarity with Bhattacharya.
Additional Advocate General Rajdeep Majumdar assured the court that the police administration would take action.
The Calcutta High Court on Thursday, 8 October 2026, sought a report from the West Bengal government on police action taken against attacks on advocates across the state over the past several months. Chief Justice Ravindra Vithalrao Ghuge directed the state government to submit the report by Friday.
The Incident That Triggered Thursday's Hearing
The matter came to a head after an early-morning attack on the residence of senior advocate and former CPI-M Rajya Sabha member Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya at Purbalok, near Jadavpur in South Kolkata. A section of advocates at the Calcutta High Court, led by senior advocate and four-time Trinamool Congress (TMC) Lok Sabha member Kalyan Banerjee, brought the attack to the notice of the Chief Justice's bench.
Banerjee submitted before the court that advocates opposed to the current ruling dispensation and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government were going through a critical phase due to persistent threats of violence.
Court's Response and Security Directions
Chief Justice Ghuge noted that the court had already instructed police to enhance and strengthen security arrangements within the High Court premises. He simultaneously urged advocates to place their faith in the judiciary rather than resorting to cease-work agitation.
The state's Additional Advocate General Rajdeep Majumdar assured the bench that the police administration would take prompt action in such matters. Notably, Majumdar also recalled the harassment of Calcutta High Court Justice Rajasekhar Mantha — including slanderous postering on the walls of his South Kolkata residence — that occurred during the previous Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government.
Pattern of Attacks on the Legal Fraternity
Thursday's incident is not isolated. Reports indicate a series of attacks on advocates in recent months at locations including Baruipur Court, Bankshall Court, Chandannagar, and Salboni. The court's intervention signals growing judicial concern over the deteriorating security environment for legal professionals in the state.
Former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Responds
In what observers noted was a significant political development, former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee issued a social media statement expressing solidarity with Bhattacharya. She wrote: 'After Baruipur Court, Bankshall Court, Chandannagar and Salboni, another brutal attack today. This time at the residence of Senior Advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya in Kolkata. Evidence on video confirms the brazenness such attackers have towards law enforcement in West Bengal. I strongly condemn such continuing attacks on the legal fraternity. It is true that in the past 15 years Bikash da and us have often been on different sides of the ideological and legal divide. However, the line of decency was never crossed.'
The former Chief Minister's condemnation is significant given that Bhattacharya has, by her own admission, frequently been on opposing sides of both ideology and legal disputes with her over the years.
What Happens Next
The West Bengal government is due to submit its compliance report to the Calcutta High Court by Friday. The court's oversight will be closely watched by the state's legal community, which has been seeking stronger institutional protection for advocates facing threats in the current political climate.
Point of View
With the state's police administration yet to demonstrate a credible deterrent. What makes Thursday's hearing politically charged is the unusual alignment — a TMC Lok Sabha member raising the grievance of a former CPI-M Rajya Sabha member, while Mamata Banerjee herself issues a public condemnation. When political opponents close ranks over rule-of-law concerns, it is usually a signal that institutional breakdown has reached a threshold that no political calculation can paper over. The real test is whether the government's Friday report to the court reflects genuine accountability or is a compliance exercise to satisfy judicial scrutiny.
NationPress
8 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Calcutta High Court seek a report from the West Bengal government?
The Calcutta High Court sought the report after a series of attacks on advocates across West Bengal over several months, most recently an early-morning assault on the residence of senior advocate Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya in South Kolkata on 8 October 2026. Chief Justice Ravindra Vithalrao Ghuge directed the state to submit a police action report by Friday.
Who is Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya and why was the attack on his home significant?
Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya is a senior advocate and former CPI-M Rajya Sabha member whose residence at Purbalok, near Jadavpur in South Kolkata, was attacked early Thursday morning. The attack drew judicial attention and condemnation even from former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, a political opponent, who cited video evidence of the brazenness of the assailants.
What has the Calcutta High Court done so far to protect advocates?
Chief Justice Ghuge confirmed that the court had already directed the police to enhance and strengthen security arrangements within the High Court premises. The court has now additionally sought a government report on broader police action against attacks on advocates statewide.
Where else have attacks on advocates been reported in West Bengal?
According to submissions made before the court, attacks on advocates have been reported at Baruipur Court, Bankshall Court, Chandannagar, and Salboni, in addition to Thursday's attack in South Kolkata. The pattern points to a sustained threat against the legal fraternity across multiple districts.
What did Mamata Banerjee say about the attack on Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya?
Former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee issued a social media statement strongly condemning the attack, calling it 'brutal' and noting that video evidence confirmed the 'brazenness' of the attackers. She acknowledged that Bhattacharya had often been on the opposing side of ideological and legal disputes with her over 15 years, but said the 'line of decency was never crossed'.
