West Bengal Government Announces Proposed Tough Anti-Corruption Law in Assembly

MP, June 24, 2026, Kolkata:  West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the previous Trinamool Congress government, alleging widespread corruption, political violence and administrative bias, while outlining his government’s plans for anti-corruption measures, border security and administrative reforms.

Replying to the Governor’s address in the Assembly, Adhikari announced that the government would introduce a stricter anti-corruption law during the ongoing session.

Under the proposed legislation, those convicted of corruption could face imprisonment as well as confiscation of illegally acquired assets.

“The days of treating a jail term as a temporary inconvenience are over. This time, we will confiscate properties and auction them,” he said, adding that the government would use the proceeds to recover public money.

Without naming individuals, Adhikari took swipes at senior Trinamool leaders, including MP Abhishek Banerjee, and questioned decisions taken during former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s tenure.

He claimed that properties on Harish Chatterjee Street, Harish Mukherjee Road and “palatial residences” in Amtala could be acquired under anti-corruption provisions and put to public use.

The Chief Minister reiterated his government’s zero-tolerance approach towards corruption and said the allegations he was raising represented “only the tip of the iceberg”.

Among his key allegations were claims of illegal stone mining in Birbhum.

Adhikari said annual revenue from stone quarries had increased from about Rs 7 crore under the previous regime to Rs 83 crore within six weeks of his government taking office and could cross Rs 100 crore.

He alleged that nearly Rs 1,100-1,200 crore was siphoned off annually through illegal mining and stone smuggling, with funds routed through Kolkata and transferred abroad.

He also alleged that a contractor associated with the Public Health Engineering Department transferred Rs 10 crore from a State Bank of India account in Kakdwip to political consultancy firm I-PAC and said the matter would be investigated.

Referring to post-poll violence after the 2021 Assembly elections, Adhikari alleged BJP workers had faced widespread intimidation and cited the killing of BJP candidate Manas Saha at a counting centre in Magrahat West.

Drawing on his own experience, the Chief Minister claimed that 102 cases had been filed against him by the previous government and that he had approached the courts 104 times to secure permission for political programmes and public meetings.

Adhikari also announced the formation of a committee headed by Padma Shri Swami Pradiptananda-ji Maharaj, popularly known as Kartik Maharaj of the Bharat Sevashram Sangha, to review the names of roads and public places in Kolkata.

He said roads named after Mughal and Pathan rulers would be reconsidered.

On border security, he claimed that around 10,000 Bangladeshi infiltrators had been identified and that another 1,800 individuals were housed in 12 holding centres.

Addressing law-and-order concerns, Adhikari assured the House that justice would be pursued in several high-profile cases, including RG Kar, Hanskhali, Kamduni and the Kasba Law College incidents.

The Chief Minister also targeted the Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS), alleging that more than Rs 324 crore had been paid to the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in violation of established procedures.

Displaying documents in the Assembly, he alleged that Rs 324.73 crore had been paid to FICCI through backdoor channels during the previous administration.

“There is no point shouting here. Documentary evidence shows that Rs 324.73 crore was paid to FICCI. This is only the tip of the iceberg,” he said amid protests from Trinamool legislators.

Trinamool Congress MLA Kunal Ghosh urged the government to proceed against those accused of corruption and ensure that no one escapes accountability.