Calcutta HC stays FIR against Mimi Chakraborty in Bongaon event dispute
Synopsis
The Calcutta High Court has stayed the FIR against former TMC MP and actress Mimi Chakraborty in a dispute rooted in a midnight stage exit at a Bongaon event — a case that has since spiralled into a ₹20 lakh defamation suit, a BJP-linked lawyer, and a politically charged custody row.
Key Takeaways
The Calcutta High Court granted an interim stay on the FIR against Mimi Chakraborty on 24 June 2025 .
Event organiser Tanay Shastri filed a ₹20 lakh defamation suit against Chakraborty, alleging false accusations led to his arrest.
Shastri spent over a week in 14 days of judicial custody before being granted bail on 11 February .
Shastri's counsel, Tarunjyoti Tiwary , is a sitting BJP legislator.
Chakraborty represented Jadavpur as a TMC Lok Sabha MP from 2019 to 2024 and did not contest the 2024 polls.
The case was heard by Justice Kaushik Chanda at the Calcutta High Court.
A single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday, 24 June granted an interim stay on the FIR registered against actress-turned-politician and former All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) Lok Sabha member Mimi Chakraborty, arising from a dispute with event organiser Tanay Shastri at a performance in Bongaon, North 24 Parganas. Shastri has also filed a ₹20 lakh defamation suit against Chakraborty, alleging she caused his arrest through false accusations.
Background: The Bongaon Event
The dispute traces back to January 2025, when Chakraborty travelled to Bongaon in the North 24 Parganas district to perform at an event organised by Shastri, where she was scheduled as the final act of the night. Chakraborty alleged that Shastri removed her from the stage midway through the performance because it was past midnight and he lacked the requisite permission to continue the event beyond that hour. She subsequently filed a police complaint accusing him of harassment.
Shastri filed a counter-complaint, claiming Chakraborty had not arrived at the specified time and that he had merely requested her to leave the stage, denying any harassment on his part. Police later visited Shastri's residence to investigate, during which he allegedly obstructed the officers.
Arrest, Custody and Bail
Shastri and two of his aides were arrested on charges of harassment and obstruction of police duty, with the case registered under a non-bailable section. He spent more than a week in 14 days of judicial custody before being granted bail on 11 February. The arrests occurred during the then TMC-led West Bengal government — a detail Shastri's side has cited as context for the complaint's timing and severity.
Defamation Suit and High Court Proceedings
Following his release, Shastri filed the ₹20 lakh defamation suit against Chakraborty, accusing her of orchestrating his imprisonment through fabricated allegations. When Chakraborty repeatedly failed to appear before the court in the matter despite summons, Shastri's counsel — Tarunjyoti Tiwary, currently a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator — approached the Calcutta High Court seeking the framing of charges against her.
Chakraborty subsequently moved the High Court seeking protection from coercive police action. The matter was heard on Wednesday afternoon before Justice Kaushik Chanda, whose single-judge bench, after a detailed hearing, granted the interim stay on the FIR.
Who Is Mimi Chakraborty
Chakraborty represented the Jadavpur constituency in South 24 Parganas district as a TMC Lok Sabha member from 2019 to 2024. She reportedly chose not to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as a TMC candidate, with reports suggesting she stepped back to focus on her acting career. The case now places her at the centre of a politically layered legal dispute involving a BJP-affiliated lawyer and a complaint that originated under the previous TMC government.
The next course of proceedings in the defamation suit and the FIR matter will depend on the High Court's further directions.
Point of View
And that his arrest occurred under the previous TMC government, adds a layer of political optics that neither side can fully escape. Chakraborty's repeated non-appearance before the lower court weakened her position and forced the High Court intervention — a pattern where celebrity defendants rely on superior courts for protection rather than engaging the process. The interim stay is procedural relief, not an exoneration; the defamation suit and the underlying FIR both remain live, and the eventual outcome will test whether the courts can insulate the proceedings from the political noise surrounding them.
NationPress
24 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Calcutta High Court stay the FIR against Mimi Chakraborty?
The Calcutta High Court granted an interim stay on the FIR against Mimi Chakraborty on 24 June 2025 after she approached the court seeking protection from coercive police action. Justice Kaushik Chanda's single-judge bench passed the order following a detailed hearing in the matter.
What is the ₹20 lakh defamation suit filed against Mimi Chakraborty?
Event organiser Tanay Shastri filed a ₹20 lakh defamation suit against Chakraborty after he was arrested and spent over a week in judicial custody on the basis of a harassment complaint she had filed. Shastri alleged that Chakraborty made false accusations that caused his imprisonment.
What happened at the Bongaon event that triggered this dispute?
In January 2025, Mimi Chakraborty performed at an event organised by Tanay Shastri in Bongaon, North 24 Parganas. Chakraborty alleged Shastri removed her from the stage midway because he lacked permission to continue past midnight; Shastri denied harassment and claimed she had not arrived on time.
Who is Tarunjyoti Tiwary and what is his role in the case?
Tarunjyoti Tiwary is Tanay Shastri's counsel and a sitting Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator. He approached the Calcutta High Court seeking the framing of charges against Chakraborty after she repeatedly failed to appear before the lower court despite summons.
Who is Mimi Chakraborty and what is her political background?
Mimi Chakraborty is an actress-turned-politician who served as the Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha member from the Jadavpur constituency in South 24 Parganas from 2019 to 2024. She reportedly chose not to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, with reports citing a return to her acting career.
