The Calcutta High Court on Friday, 29 May granted actor Parambrata Chatterjee interim protection from coercive police action, including arrest, in connection with an FIR lodged against him at Gariahat Police Station under the South Division of Kolkata Police. The FIR accuses the actor of making a provocative social media statement and allegedly instigating post-poll violence following the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections.

What the Court Ordered

A single-judge vacation bench of Justice Ajoy Kumar Mukherjee heard the matter in the afternoon and, at the conclusion of the hearing, granted the interim relief sought by Chatterjee. The court, however, made clear that the police investigation will continue unimpeded.

Justice Mukherjee directed Parambrata Chatterjee to fully cooperate with investigators during the probe. Kolkata Police has also been asked to submit a detailed status report on the matter at the next date of hearing.

Background: The FIR and the Complaint

The FIR was filed on the basis of a complaint lodged by Joydeep Sen, an advocate. A separate FIR was simultaneously registered against actress Swastika Mukherjee — daughter of the late veteran Bengali actor Santu Mukherjee — for allegedly endorsing the same social media post flagged in the complaint.

While Swastika Mukherjee responded to a notice of interrogation and appeared at Gariahat Police Station on 23 May for questioning, Chatterjee did not comply with the notice. Instead, he approached the Calcutta High Court on 27 May with a plea seeking to quash the FIR entirely.

The Viral Statement That Triggered the Complaint

The controversy stems from remarks Chatterjee made at a meeting convened by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA and Bengali actor Rudranil Ghosh at Technicians Studio. Chatterjee, who was present at the gathering, alleged that he had been compelled to support the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) government under pressure from former state minister Aroop Biswas and his brother Swarup Biswas.

In remarks that were captured on video and circulated widely, Chatterjee said: 'That day, I did everything by looking at the face of my newborn 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.'

The video clip went viral on social media, drawing sharp criticism from several quarters who accused the actor of switching political allegiances. The complaint against him followed shortly after.

What Happens Next

Chatterjee's petition seeking to quash the FIR remains pending before the vacation bench. The court's interim protection shields him from arrest in the interim, but the investigation by Kolkata Police will proceed. The next hearing, at which the police report is due, will be a key moment in determining whether the FIR survives judicial scrutiny.