A case was registered against actor-turned-BJP leader Mithun Chakraborty by West Bengal Police on Wednesday for allegedly delivering a provocative speech during a party programme in North 24 Parganas district last month.

According to reports, the complaint against Chakraborty pertains to a speech he made during a BJP programme at the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (EZCC) in Salt Lake area on October 27, based on which police registered an FIR at Bidhannagar South Police Station.

The programme, which took place in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, was organised to kick off the West Bengal leg of the BJP’s membership drive.

“We have started an investigation into the case,” said a senior officer of Bidhannagar police reported by PTI.

BJP state president and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar described the FIR a result of vendetta politics. Chakraborty has not commented on the FIR yet.

“There is nothing provocative in his speech. These are nothing but attempts to intimidate him by using police as a political tool,” the BJP state president said.

Chakraborty, who was awarded India’s highest film honor, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, earlier this year, asserted on October 27 that the “masnad” (throne) of West Bengal will be claimed by the BJP following the 2026 Assembly elections. He pledged to utilise all necessary efforts to accomplish this objective.

During his address at a program organised by the EZCC, Chakraborty stated, “In 2026, the masnad will be ours, and we will undertake all actions required to achieve this goal.”

In reference to TMC MLA Humayun Kabir’s communal comments directed at BJP supporters during the Lok Sabha elections, Chakraborty cautioned against any attempts to intimidate voters affiliated with the saffron party, encouraging them not to abstain from participating in the forthcoming Assembly elections. He called upon the booth-level workers of the BJP to firmly resist any such efforts.

The Parliament Winter Session will commence from November 25 and will conclude on December 20. The winter session will take place two days after the announcement of Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly election results.

Kiren Rijiju, Parliamentary Affairs Minister affirmed that the government’s proposal to convene both Houses of the Parliament (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) during this period was sanctioned by President Droupadi Murmu.

Notably, the upcoming Winter Session will be the observance of Constitution Day on November 26, commemorating the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Indian Constitution. Reportedly, the event will be celebrated in the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan in New Delhi, with members of both Houses gathering to honour the country’s foundational document.

Taking to X, Kiren Rijiju said that the President, on the recommendation of Government of India, has approved the proposal for summoning of both the Houses of Parliament for the Winter Session, 2024 from 25th November to 20th December, 2024 (subject to exigencies of parliamentary business). The Union Minister added that on 26th November, 2024 (Constitution Day), 75th Anniversary of the adoption of Constitution, the event would be celebrated in the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan.

In this session, raging discussions are expected to be held around two key legislative proposals: The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 and One Nation, One Election.

Previously, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had stressed on the importance of the Waqf (Amendment Bill), asserting that it would be addressed in the winter session. Addressing an election rally in Gurugram, the Home Minister said that they will resolve The Waqf Board law in the next session of the Parliament.

At present, a Joint Parliamentary Committee(JPC) is holding marathon meetings across various states to engage with stakeholders and address their concerns and build a consensus on the contentious bill.

Reportedly, the Centre might also look to introduce One Nation One Election Bill which will ensure simultaneous polls for Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Unity Day speech in Gujarat, said that the One Nation, One Election proposal, which aims to synchronise all elections in the country either on a single day or within a specific time frame, will be cleared soon and will become a reality.

The Prime Minister said that they are now working towards One Nation One Election, which will strengthen India’s democracy, give the optimum outcome of India’s resources and the country will gain new momentum in achieving the dream of a developed India.

In a significant development, the Kerala High Court has quashed all charges against film director Sreekumar Menon in a case filed by renowned South Indian actress Manju Warrier. The criminal case lodged in 2019, alleged stalking and harassment by Sreekumar Menon against Manju Warrier.

Justice S. Manu, who presided over the case, found insufficient evidence to support the charges pressed against the film director. The charges included stalking under Section 354D of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), using obscene language under Section 294(b) of the IPC, and criminal intimidation under Section 509 of the IPC.

The Kerala High Court also noted a significant delay in the actor’s report of the alleged incident involving obscene language. The complaint, which was filed in 2019, mentioned an altercation that supposedly occurred in Dubai in December 2018. Furthermore, the Court pointed out that Section 188 of the CrPC mandates seeking Central Government permission for prosecuting offenses committed outside India.

The final report also included a charge under Section 120(o) of the Kerala Police Act. However, the High Court observed that this offense is non-cognizable, meaning the police cannot initiate a case without specific permission. Since the other charges were deemed unsustainable, the Kerala High Court ruled that prosecution solely under this section would not hold validity.

The case stemmed from a petition filed by Manju Warrier with the Kerala State Police Chief in 2019. The petition alleged stalking and harassment by Sreekumar Menon. Subsequently, the petition led to the registration of an FIR at the Thrissur East Police Station. 

Both film director Sreekumar Warrier and actor Manju Menon have enjoyed successful careers in the Malayalam film industry. Their collaboration on the film Odiyan, starring Mohanlal, marked Sreekumar Menon’s directorial debut.