Kolkata, November 17, 2025 – West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose today led a comprehensive search operation at the Raj Bhavan following accusations by Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kalyan Banerjee that the premises were harboring illegal arms and ammunition. The unprecedented move saw the Governor personally overseeing a joint team of security personnel, including the Kolkata Police, central forces, a bomb squad, and a dog squad, to investigate the allegations.

The dramatic turn of events began after TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee alleged on Saturday that Governor Bose was "sheltering BJP criminals" within the Raj Bhavan and providing them with weapons. Banerjee's accusations came shortly after Bose emphasized the necessity of a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to ensure a fair and transparent election process.

Governor Bose, who had been on a short trip to North Bengal, immediately cut his visit short to address the serious allegations. He initiated the search operation, which commenced at approximately 2:15 PM on the ground floor of the Raj Bhavan.

Prior to the search, the Raj Bhavan was evacuated to facilitate the operation. In a move toward transparency, members of civil society and journalists were invited to witness the search, which was also live-streamed to the public.

An official involved in the operation stated that in addition to the Kolkata Police and central forces, personnel from the Raj Bhavan Police Outpost, the Disaster Management Department, and the Civil Defence Department were also participating in the search.

Governor Bose dismissed Banerjee's allegations as "stale, flat, and unprofitable - ill-advised, malicious, mischievous, obnoxious," invoking Shakespeare to emphasize his point. However, he asserted that such accusations against a constitutional head of state demanded a thorough investigation to establish the truth. Bose has also threatened strong legal action against Banerjee for his "baseless allegations".

In response to the Governor's decision to seek legal counsel regarding his accusations, Kalyan Banerjee stated his readiness for a legal battle and insisted that he would not be intimidated. He also dismissed the search operation as "child's play", suggesting that the Governor's actions were a desperate attempt to improve his standing. Banerjee further claimed that the Governor's actions are a result of a poor performance review with the Union Home Minister.

As of now, the search has concluded, and "nothing surfaced following the search". The incident has further intensified the already strained relations between the state government and the Governor's office.