West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced on May 18 that his government has approved the formation of two inquiry panels headed by retired High Court judges to investigate alleged institutional corruption and incidents involving atrocities against women during the tenure of former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
First Panel: Financial Irregularities
The first panel, led by retired Justice Biswajit Basu, will examine allegations related to financial irregularities and the practice of demanding "cut money" for government services. Senior IPS officer Jayaraman will serve as the member-secretary of this committee.
Second Panel: Crimes Against Women
The second panel, headed by retired Judge Samapti Chatterjee, will investigate cases involving women and girl children. Senior IPS officer Damayanti Sen will act as the member-secretary for this committee.
Corruption and women's safety were major issues during the recently concluded Assembly elections in the state. The committees are scheduled to begin functioning from June 1, 2026. The announcement underscores the new government's commitment to addressing these critical concerns and ensuring accountability.
