Political

Bengal's Chief Secretary Manoj Agarwal sends 10 crore defamation notice to Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra

• By A Correspondent, Kolkata
• October 10, 2026
• 1316

The political conflict surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list has now reached the threshold of a legal battle. State Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Agarwal has sent a legal notice to Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra, demanding ?10 crore in defamation damages. Agarwal alleges that false, malicious, and defamatory accusations were leveled against him in two posts made by Moitra on the social media platform 'X' on 3rd & 6th October 2026.

Manoj Agarwal demands withdrawal of posts and an unconditional apology within 24 hours. Allegations of attacks labeling him a ‘vote thief’ and the ‘architect of all illegal activities’. Threat of legal action over posts made on X on  3rd & 6th October 2026.

The notice demands the deletion of the two posts in question within 24 hours, the unconditional withdrawal of the complaint, a public apology, and a written undertaking to refrain from making such comments in the future. It also warns of civil and criminal legal action should these demands not be met. Lawyer Ruchira Manna has sent this notice on behalf of Manoj Agarwal.

The notice states that a post dated 3rd October 2026 Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra identified, Manoj Agarwal as a key architect of the electoral rolls in West Bengal and accused him of engaging in "all manner of illegal activities." Furthermore, the notice alleges that comments such as "India is coming for you next" and "you won't be able to escape" were made. Another post from 6th October 2026 reportedly labeled Manoj Agarwal a "vote thief" and held him solely responsible for the illegal disenfranchisement of millions of legitimate Bengali voters.

The Chief Secretary refuses to dismiss these comments as mere political criticism. In the notice, he asserts that the posts directly call into question his personal integrity, professional dedication, and impartiality in discharging official duties. Agarwal maintains that he was never involved in vote theft, tampering with electoral rolls, or the unlawful deletion of any voter's name, as the then Chief Electoral Officer. He performed his duties strictly within the framework of the Election Commission's directives and the established legal structure.

The notice further claims that the post from 3rd October 2026 was viewed over 74,000 times and reshared more than 2,000 times. It also notes that the post from 6th October 2026 garnered over 22,000 views. Manoj Agarwal asserts that this massive reach has damaged his social standing and professional reputation.

The notice demands that Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra pay ?10 crore in damages, along with ?50,000 to cover the cost of sending the legal notice. It also stipulates conditions requiring her to delete the two posts and remove similar statements if published elsewhere, withdraw the allegations, offer a public and unconditional apology, and keep that apology visible on her X (formerly Twitter) page for at least 30 days. The notice states that if the demands are not met within 24 hours, necessary legal action including civil and criminal lawsuits may be initiated in the appropriate court.

It is worth noting that Manoj Agarwal served as the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal from 28th March 2025, to 11th May, 2026. He is currently the Chief Secretary of the West Bengal Government. This legal notice has added a new dimension to the conflict within state politics, which was already heated over allegations regarding the deletion of names from the voter list in connection with the SIR process.