Kolkata, 22 April (H.S.) : West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal on Wednesday dismissed reports claiming that an arrest warrant had been issued against Bengali poet Srijato Bandyopadhyay, describing them as “fake news.”

He warned that strict legal action would be taken against those responsible for spreading false and unverified information.

In a post on social media platform X, the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal, said it strongly condemned the deliberate spread of misinformation by certain individuals and sections of the media regarding the electoral process.

The statement said such actions were misleading and undermined public trust in democratic institutions. It added that strict legal measures would be initiated against those found responsible for circulating false and unverified reports.

Earlier in the day, sections of the media had reported that an arrest warrant had been issued against poet Srijato Bandyopadhyay in connection with an old case allegedly filed by the Bharatiya Janata Party and a Hindu organisation over a poem related to Hindutva. The reports of the poet’s possible arrest triggered widespread discussion ahead of the Assembly elections.

Responding to the reports, Bandyopadhyay said he had no prior knowledge of the matter. He told reporters that he came to know about the alleged case through the media and would speak to his lawyer before making any detailed comment.

Following the circulation of the reports, the matter reached the Election Commission office, after which the Chief Electoral Officer’s office issued a clarification stating that the news of any arrest warrant against the poet was false.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh