West Bengal Raj Bhavan files FIR against TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee over ‘arms and bombs’ remark
The Statesman | 20 November 2025
Following Trinamool Congress (TMC) Lok Sabha member Kalyan Banerjee’s alleged remarks levelling accusations at the West Bengal Governor of storing arms and bombs in Raj Bhavan and supplying them to the BJP to kill TMC leaders, the Raj Bhavan, on behalf of Governor Dr C V Ananda Bose, has filed an FIR against him.
Lodged under Section 151 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita (BNS), which is non-bailable, the FIR was filed by an officer on special duty (OSD) on behalf of the Raj Bhavan. The FIR mentioned charges under Sections 151, 152, 197, 196A, 196B, 353-1B, 353C, and 353-2 of the BNS.
As per Raj Bhavan sources, the MP’s remarks were not only politically motivated but also posed a threat to national security.
The Governor had threatened to take legal action against Kalyan Banerjee over Saturday’s alleged inflammatory and baseless remarks.
A row had erupted after Banerjee reacted to Governor Bose’s recent statement on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.
Bose had said that SIR would help “purify” voter lists in West Bengal. Banerjee allegedly replied, “As long as an incompetent governor like you remains, as long as a BJP-servant governor remains, you will never see anything good happening in West Bengal.”
The Raj Bhavan, in an official statement, on Sunday had demanded an apology from Kalyan and called for an immediate inquiry into the matter, noting that the MP’s allegations suggested a breach of “Z-plus” category security for the Governor.
The war of words between the Bose and Kalyan accelerated further on Monday after the former asked Kolkata Police (KP) to deploy its bomb disposal squad with a sniffer dog, disaster management team and civil defence department to conduct search operations inside the Raj Bhavan premises to find out whether arms and ammunition are lying stacked there.
The search operations, conducted under the Governor’s supervision, included all rooms and lawns of the Raj Bhavan. No arms or explosives were found.
“Nothing was found during the search. I will take legal action against Kalyan. Bengal has a tradition of making wrong and fake allegations against the Governor. But I have decided to take strong actions if fake allegations are made,” Bose told reporters after the search operations ended on Monday.
Raj Bhavan sources termed Banerjee’s remarks as derogatory and damaging to the unity and integrity of the country, capable of sowing fear and anarchy.
In turn, Banerjee claimed the Governor’s actions were politically motivated and filed a counter complaint.
“I have lodged complaints against West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose, who is currently residing at Raj Bhavan… The allegation is that CV Ananda Bose, in agreement with some unknown politically motivated persons, had a common objective. He intentionally, wilfully, deliberately, and purposefully made statements to incite rebellion and subversive activities, and to encourage feelings of separatism against the government in the state, thereby endangering the sovereignty and unity of India.”