Three judges of a local court at Diamond Harbour court in South 24-Parganas have accused a police officer of intimidation, claiming that goons were deployed to terrorise them following judicial decisions that may have displeased certain influential individuals.

On Monday, the three judges submitted a petition to the district and sessions judge of South 24-Parganas, Subhradip Mitra, describing an incident of the night of September 8-9. According to their account, a goon, allegedly acting under the orders of Kumaresh Das, a police officer from Pailan police headquarters in the Diamond Harbour police district, attempted to enter their residential complex, aiming to cut off power supply and potentially cause them physical harm.

The judges — additional district and sessions judge Prakash Singh, additional district judge (fast track-4) Debajyoti Mukherjee and additional chief judicial magistrate Sachindra Mohan Bhowmik — urged the district judge to ensure their safety and requested the matter be referred to Calcutta High Court.

In their petition, they described the incident as a deliberate attempt to instill fear among judicial officers and coerce them into issuing favorable rulings for vested interest.

The judges specifically named a police officer who they believe orchestrated the scheme. They stated that their security was “at stake” and that they no longer felt “safe,” raising fears of “serious hindrances” to their ability to perform their judicial duties independently.

Following the petition, district and sessions judge Subhradip Mitra forwarded the matter to the registrar (inspection-I) of Calcutta High Court, seeking directives from the higher judiciary. Judge Mitra expressed concern that the incident might have been an attempt to intimidate the judiciary.

According to the petition, on the night of September 8, the Diamond Harbour ACJM, Sachindra Mohan Bhowmik, was informed by house guards at the Judges’ Residential Complex at Uttar Hajipur in Diamond Harbour that a police officer had allegedly ordered two individuals to cut off the power supply to ADJ’s residence and harm the judicial officers. The guards revealed they had been instructed to grant the two individuals access to the premises.

The alarmed judges kept vigil. Around 1.10am on September 9, they observed a man, his face covered, loitering outside the complex and signaling the guards for entry. The guards refused. ACJM Bhowmik immediately alerted the police. Officers arrived 20 minutes later, but by then the goon had fled. In response, Diamond Harbour police deployed officers to monitor the area around the judges' residence.

Describing the incident in their petition, the judges wrote: “…the instant incident is terrorising. Such an attack at such a late hour of the night with the ulterior motive of disconnecting electric supply for reasons which may be well assumed to be endangering human lives is highly alarming and condemnable".

They further noted that the intruder’s appearance suggested “there was every possibility that he was equipped with arms and deadly weapons".

Speaking to the media, Rahul Goswami, the superintendent of police of Diamond Harbour police, stated, "We are taking this case very seriously and have spoken to the district judge. The complaint is being looked into. None will be spared."

The police have increased security around the judges’ residences and a probe is on.

A senior police officer said on Wednesday: "We have increased security near their living quarters to ensure safety.... After reviewing CCTV footage and talking to security guards, we have detained a suspect and will be charging him soon."

A show-cause notice has also been issued against Das, the implicated police officer.

"Strict action will be taken against him for unlawfully trying to pressure the judges," the officer added.

Refuting the charges levelled against him, Das told The Telegraph: "I am not connected with the incident in any manner. I don't know how my name has cropped up"

After the letters became public, political parties attacked the Mamata Banerjee government and the ruling Trinamool.

BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar wrote a letter to Union law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, raising concerns about the “alarming state of law and order” in Bengal.

In the letter, Majumdar stated: "If the police are turning against judges, what does this say about the state of justice in West Bengal?"

BJP's Bengal co-in-charge Amit Malviya echoed these sentiments, posting on X: “This is absolutely shocking... Judiciary under threat in South 24 Parganas.”

CPM leader Sujan Chakraborty said the incident exposed the state of law and order in Bengal.

"It's terrible that even judges do not have security in the state. The judges are getting threatened at the instigation of the police. The allegation is clear that there is involvement of a police officer behind this threat. Common people, teachers, doctors, students and protesters have no security. The government in Bengal thinks only the chief minister and her nephew are entitled to security."

The Trinamool leadership denied the accusations, insisting there was no security threat to the judges. Party spokesperson Kunal Ghosh stated: "We have inquired and learned that one person in a drunken state peeped towards the judges' residence from outside. As far as we know, it has no relation with any legal case or judge or annoyance over any verdict. The issue is personal. Police have detained him.... It was not any attack on the judges.... This is a wrong interpretation."

On Wednesday evening, Trinamool spokesperson Shashi Panja confirmed on X that the police officer concerned had been suspended and that the concern of judges had been addressed with reinforced security measures. She also accused BJP leaders of spreading misinformation.