In a setback to Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari, the Calcutta High Court on Friday (October 24, 2025) lifted a protection granted to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader against registration of FIRs against him.

While ordering quashing of 15 FIRs against Mr. Adhikari, Justice Jay Sengupta lifted the protection granted by the High Court to the Opposition leader in 2022 against registration of FIRs against him. As per the earlier order by Justice Rajasekhar Mantha in December 2022, the permission of Calcutta High Court was necessary before lodging an FIR against the Nandigram MLA.

Transfer of cases

In the order on Friday (October 24), Justice Sengupta also directed the transfer of investigation in four cases registered against BJP leaders to a joint special investigation team (SIT) comprising officials of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the State police.

The development, which comes ahead of Assembly polls in the State, has evoked strong political reactions with the Trinamool Congress lauding the development. Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh said the development reflects the stand of the party that no person can be granted protection against registration of FIRs against them for an indefinite period of time.

Several leaders of Trinamool Congress had expressed their displeasure against the protection granted to Mr. Adhikari. The State government challenged the Calcutta High Court’s order in the Supreme Court. However, the top court did not interfere with the High Court’s decision in this regard. Reacting to the development, Mr. Adhikari said it was his “personal legal battle” and he welcomed the order as FIRs have been quashed in 15 cases against him.

‘No protection blanket’

“In case of other four [FIRs], SITs have been set up and the Court did not depend on State police and brought CBI on board,” he said. The BJP leader said there was no “protection blanket” given to him and there was an interim order and such orders are withdrawn when the final verdicts are delivered. Mr. Adhikari said the entire Trinamool leadership is targeting him and if there is more harassment then he will approach the Court.

With the Court’s protection withdrawn against Mr. Adhikari, sources in the Trinamool Congress said the State police will push for action against the BJP leader. The police are likely to turn up the heat against Mr. Adhikari in an allegation brought by State Minister Birbaha Hansda, a tribal leader. Ms. Hansda had alleged that the LoP had insulted her by referring to her caste.