Killing of Amit Chakraborty

Amit Chakraborty was a sub-inspector of police posted in Dubrajpur, West Bengal. In 2014, he and three other police officers were allegedly attacked with a bomb during a clash between supporters of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) at Aoulia-Gopalpur village. Chakraborty was struck by bomb splinters and injured in the stomach. He succumbed to his injuries 50 days later.

Eighteen people were accused in connection with the case. Most of the accused were identified as Trinamool Congress leaders and supporters. In 2018, a Suri court acquitted all 18 accused. The presiding judge criticized the West Bengal Police, stating that a lax and incompetent investigation had resulted in a lack of evidence, leading to the acquittals. The police had made the deceased officer, Amit Chakraborty, the main witness in his own murder case, and the police reportedly acknowledged this error before the court.

Following the acquittals, the West Bengal Criminal Investigation Department (CID) took over the investigation. Prior to the verdict, in 2016, the Birbhum public prosecutor, acting on behalf of the West Bengal state government, had appealed to the court to free all the accused before judgment was reached. This appeal drew protests from police personnel, the victim's family, and opposition political parties. Following these protests, the West Bengal government withdrew the appeal.

The state government faced criticism over its attempt to have the case against the accused—a majority of whom were TMC members—withdrawn. Amit Chakraborty's widow accused the police of facing political pressure that prevented a proper investigation into her husband's death. West Bengal Police denied allegations that they had failed to take action following the attack.

This case remains notable for the procedural failures identified by the court, including the acquittal of all accused due to evidentiary shortcomings attributed to the investigation, and for the political controversy surrounding the state government's attempted withdrawal of the prosecution.