Mostly filed since quitting TMC, BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari faces 25 criminal cases

E-PaperSubscribeSubscribeEnjoy unlimited accessSubscribe Now! Get features like Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari faces 25 criminal cases, mostly filed since he defected from the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in 2020, while his annual income more than doubled over the last five years from ₹8,13,170 in 2020-2021 to ₹17,38,590 in 2024-2025, according to the affidavit he filed with the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday. BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari’s 2021 poll affidavit showed only one criminal case pending against him. (X)The affidavit shows the value of Adhikari’s moveable and immovable assets declined over the last five years. He had movable assets worth ₹59,31,647 in 2021, which dropped to 24,57,600 in 2026. His immovable assets were worth 61,30,000 in 2021, which declined to 46,21,102 in 2026. The BJP has fielded Adhikari from Nandigram (East Midnapore), which goes to polls in the first phase of West Bengal polls on April 23, and Bhabanipur (Kolkata), where polls are scheduled in the second phase on April 29, against chief minister Mamata Banerjee. Adhikari, who filed his nomination for Nandigram on Monday, defeated Banerjee there in 2021. Adhikari’s 2021 poll affidavit showed only one criminal case pending against him related to 2016 Narada News portal videos that purportedly showed him, receiving money in exchange for favours to a fictitious company before the assembly elections that year. Adhikari joined the BJP in December 2020 ahead of the 2021 assembly elections. Cases lodged against him since include ones on charges ranging from criminal intimidation, attempt to murder, hurting religious feelings, rioting, promoting enmity between groups, making hateful and casteist remarks, and wrongful restraint. In December 2022, the Calcutta high court granted Adhikari protection, restraining the state from lodging any cases against him without its prior approval. The high court in October 2025 quashed 15 cases against Adhikari even as it vacated the interim order barring from registration of fresh cases against him without the court’s permission. Adhikari did not respond to calls and messages for comments. BJP leader Tarunjyoti Tiwari said the TMC government is afraid of any kind of opposition. “Whenever there is an opposition, false cases are registered. Adhikari also faced the same thing. Multiple cases have been filed against our leaders and workers, starting from a booth-level worker to the leader of the Opposition [Adhikari], just to scare them. This is the politics TMC believes in,” said Tiwari TMC spokesperson Arup Chakraborty said if one is associated with criminals, the number of criminal cases would obviously shoot up. “This is a natural reflection.” Joydeep Thakur is a Special Correspondent based in Kolkata. He focuses on science, environment, wildlife, agriculture and other related issues.