An FIR has been registered against former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee following a complaint alleging that her remarks hurt religious sentiments, police said on Wednesday.
The complaint was filed by advocate Rinki Chattopadhyay Singh at the Siliguri Cyber Crime Police Station on May 20.
According to the complainant, Banerjee made two remarks, one during a religious event in 2025 and another at a Dharmatala protest ahead of the Assembly elections, that allegedly hurt the beliefs and sentiments of “millions of Sanatani Hindus across India and the world”.
The lawyer also alleged that the statements were unconstitutional and provocative in nature, police said.
The complainant further alleged that Banerjee “had stated that a particular community could 'finish off' others within five minutes if it wished. Such comments are not expected from a person holding a constitutional position”.
Singh claimed that police had initially declined to register the complaint and acted only after repeated follow-ups.
The FIR has been registered under Sections 351 (criminal intimidation), 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 353 (circulation of false statements), 354 (intimidation by inducing belief in divine displeasure), 356 (criminal defamation), and 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings).
A senior officer of the Siliguri Police Commissionerate confirmed that an investigation is underway.
“We have received the complaint, and a case has been registered as per procedure. The matter is under investigation, and all aspects mentioned in the FIR are being examined,” the officer told PTI.
(With inputs from PTI)