Kolkata Police Arrests Garga Chatterjee for EVM Misinformation

Kolkata Police's cyber cell arrested Garga Chatterjee, founder of the pro-Bengali advocacy group Bangla Pokkho, on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in south Kolkata's Deshapriya Park area. The arrest stemmed from allegations that he spread misinformation about electronic voting machines during the West Bengal Assembly elections, which concluded earlier that month with the Bharatiya Janata Party assuming power for the first time in the state.

Authorities acted on a complaint filed by North Kolkata District Election Officer Smita Pandey, accusing Chatterjee of posting misleading content on social media that questioned the integrity of the electoral process. His statements, made during polling on April 23 and counting on May 4, raised doubts about EVM malfunctions despite prior testing, urged voters to verify VVPAT slips, and alleged irregularities like machine swapping and secret plans by the Election Commission of India. Police said the posts violated the model code of conduct and cyber laws by fostering confusion and distrust.

Chatterjee, who was summoned twice but did not appear, faces charges of circulating false information that could undermine public confidence in the elections....