The Supreme Court has strongly condemned the actions of Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers who targeted Hindu families and women for supporting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during the 2021 assembly elections in West Bengal. The court described these incidents, allegedly carried out with the complicity of the West Bengal police, as "grave attacks on the roots of democracy."

In a significant ruling, a Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta overturned the Calcutta High Court's decision to grant bail to six TMC workers implicated in the violence. The case stemmed from an appeal against the High Court's orders that had granted bail to Sekh Jamir Hossain, Sekh Nurai, Sekh Ashraf, Sekh Karibul, and Jayanta Done.

The Supreme Court's judgment highlighted the severity of the attacks. Justice Mehta, writing for the bench, stated, "The concerted attack on the complainant's house was launched on the day of election results with the sole objective of wreaking vengeance because he had supported the saffron party." This, the court emphasized, demonstrated a clear attempt to terrorize members of the opposing political party.

Acknowledging the higher threshold required for bail cancellation, the bench asserted that the gravity of the allegations in this case was so profound that it "shake[s] the conscience of the court." The court underscored the "reprehensible way the incident was perpetrated," revealing a vengeful attitude aimed at subduing supporters of the BJP "by hook or by crook."

The specific details of the case underscored the brutality of the attacks. The complainant's wife was reportedly "viciously pulled by the hair and disrobed," and the accused were allegedly on the verge of sexually assaulting her when she bravely poured kerosene on herself, deterring the assault.

The Supreme Court's decision emphasized the importance of free and fair elections in a democracy, stating that the violence perpetrated against BJP supporters was "nothing short of a grave attack on the roots of democracy." The court's intervention underscores its commitment to safeguarding the democratic process and ensuring that political expression is not stifled through violence and intimidation.

In related developments, the Supreme Court in December 2024 had also transferred the investigation of two criminal cases against West Bengal BJP leader Kabir Shankar Bose from the state police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), citing a “politically charged atmosphere” in the state that might impede a fair investigation. The cases, registered in December 2020, involved allegations of assault and molestation of Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers. The court noted the intertwined personal and political dimensions of the matter, further justifying the transfer to an independent agency.