Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has moved the Calcutta High Court seeking protection from arrest after a first information report was lodged against her in connection with the July 1 egg-throwing incident at Kaliganj in Nadia district.
The petition was filed on Friday and is expected to be taken up on Tuesday, July 7. Moitra has sought judicial intervention at a time when rival political claims over the incident have sharpened, with her camp alleging targeted intimidation and the Bharatiya Janata Party denying involvement.
The case stems from a confrontation during Moitra’s visit to Kaliganj, where she had gone for a Trinamool meeting ahead of the party’s July 21 Martyrs’ Day rally. Eggs were allegedly thrown at the premises where she was present with party workers and local leaders. Video clips circulated from the spot showed eggs striking glass panes while slogans were raised outside.
Moitra, the Lok Sabha member from Krishnanagar, alleged that BJP supporters surrounded the venue, displayed black flags and hurled eggs while police personnel failed to intervene effectively. She later named 16 persons whom she accused of taking part in the attack, describing them as politically aligned with the BJP. She also claimed she had been forced to remain inside for several hours as the situation outside remained tense.
The BJP has rejected the allegation and said the episode reflected internal Trinamool friction rather than any organised attack by its workers. State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya has blamed factionalism within the ruling party and accused Trinamool leaders of attempting to shift responsibility for their own organisational disputes.
Moitra’s plea adds a legal dimension to what had begun as a local political confrontation. Her petition is understood to have argued that while police were considering action against her, adequate steps had not been taken on her complaint about the alleged attack. She has sought protection from coercive steps and a fair investigation into the events at Kaliganj.
The development comes amid wider concern in West Bengal over egg-pelting protests and public harassment of political figures and accused persons. The Calcutta High Court had earlier directed the state police leadership to frame guidelines to prevent such incidents, noting that the state has a duty to protect the dignity and safety of individuals, including those facing allegations or public hostility.
That order was passed in a separate public interest litigation after complaints over repeated egg-throwing episodes. The court directed that guidelines be circulated to police stations and sought measures to prevent mob violence, public humiliation and unsafe movement of persons under police watch.
The timing of the Kaliganj episode has drawn attention because it took place close to the court’s observations on public attacks and police responsibility. Trinamool leaders have argued that the incident showed the need for stricter policing of politically charged demonstrations. The opposition has countered that the ruling party is using law-and-order machinery to suppress criticism while facing internal strain.
Kaliganj, located in Nadia district, has been politically sensitive because of the wider contest between Trinamool and the BJP in south Bengal. Nadia has seen sharp electoral competition, with both parties seeking to consolidate local committees ahead of the next major round of political mobilisation.
Moitra remains one of Trinamool’s most visible parliamentary voices and has frequently clashed with the BJP at the national level. Her public profile has made the Kaliganj incident more prominent than a routine local confrontation, particularly because she recorded portions of the episode and directly accused named individuals.
Police action in the matter is likely to come under close scrutiny when the High Court hears the petition. The court may examine whether the FIR against Moitra justifies any coercive step, whether her complaint over the alleged attack has been acted upon, and whether the district police followed adequate preventive procedures during the confrontation.
The legal question before the court is not limited to political blame. It may also test the balance between investigation and protection from arrest, especially when rival complaints emerge from the same incident. Anticipatory protection, if granted, would not quash the investigation but could restrict police from arresting Moitra without further judicial oversight.
